The minister has carefully considered the request and decided to extend the period by a further six months, that is, December 31, 2022 to June 30, 2023.
“As previously communicated, the Department of Home Affairs appointed the Departmental Advisory Committee DAC, led by Dr Cassius Lubisi to assess the visa applications lodged by the affected Zimbabwean nationals.”
What does this mean for Zim citizens now?
– No holder of the exemption may be arrested, ordered to depart or be detained for purposes of deportation or deported in terms of the section 34 of the Immigration Act for any reason related to him or her not having any valid exemption certificate in their passport.
– The holder of the exemption may be allowed to enter or depart from South Africa in terms of Section 9 of the Act, read together with the Immigration Regulations, 2014, provided that he or she complies with all the other requirements for entry into and departure from SA.
– No holder of the exemption should be required to produce a valid exemption certificate or an authorisation letter to remain in South Africa.
Progress report
The DHA said that it also appointed an outside legal firm to handle all court challenges relating to the decision not to extend the exemptions granted to the Zimbabwe nationals and related matters.
Motsoaledi said he received a progress report from Lubisi, which indicated that the DAC has met on several occasions in order to execute its mandate and their last meeting was held for most of the day on Thursday.
The DAC recommended to the minister that in view of the progress thus far, it will be prudent for the minister to consider extending the period within which the affected Zimbabwean nationals will have an opportunity to apply for visas and/or waivers for a further six months. This is in light of so few Zimbabwean nationals having applied thus far.
Motsoaledi says he and his department is committed to affording Zimbabwean nationals an opportunity to apply for one or other visas and or waivers provided for in the Immigration Act.
A directive containing the decision of the minister will be communicated through diplomatic channels to the Zimbabwean Ambassador in South Africa.
The DHA has called on Zimbabwean citizens to make use of this ‘window of opportunity’ and not wait for the last minute to lodge their applications as is the case now.
Zimbabwe assists
This week, the Zimbabwean Consulate informed Zimbabwe nationals residing in South Africa’s Free State Province that it will conduct a consular visit to Mangaung (Bloemfontein) from August 30 to September 1, 2022.
The mobile consular exercise took place at the Ramblers Club, corner Aliwal and Alexandra avenues, Central Business District in Bloemfontein.
Last month, South Africa’s International Relations and Co-operation Minister Naledi Pandor told her visiting counterpart, Zimbabwe’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Frederick Shava, that Pretoria is grateful for the supportive role played by the neighbouring country in arresting the scourge of illegal migration.
IOL