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Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize

Nqobile Tshili Bulawayo Bureau
HOLDERS of the Zimbabwean Special Permit (ZSP) in South Africa will tomorrow learn about new conditions that have been set for their continued stay in that country .

Close to 200 000 Zimbabweans living in South Africa benefited under the ZSP scheme, which is scheduled to expire on December 31 this year. But last month, the South African government gave a green light for its Ministry of Home Affairs to extend the permits for ZSP holders. The announcement came at a time when the ZSP holders had become anxious over their continued stay in the neighbouring country.

In a statement on Tuesday, South Africa’s government announced that tomorrow it will spell out the new conditions to be used by permit holders in their reapplications.

“The Minister of Home Affairs, Prof Hlengiwe Mkhize, will on Friday September 8, 2017, announce the conditions and processes to be followed for the reapplication of the Zimbabwean Special Permit,” reads the statement.

“On August 1, 2017, Cabinet approved that the Department of Home Affairs could reopen the reapplication process for the current Zimbabwean Special Permit holders, under certain conditions. This process follows the initial Special Dispensation for Zimbabweans that was approved in April 2009 to document Zimbabwean nationals, who were in South Africa illegally. The current Zimbabwean Special Permit expires on December 31 2017.”

Zimbabwe’s Consul General in South Africa Mr Batiraishe Mukonoweshuro last month told The Chronicle that the Zimbabwean Embassy was also patiently waiting to hear about the terms of the new conditions.

He hailed the South African government’s stance of renewing the permits saying the neighbouring country understood the concerns of the beneficiaries.