‘ZEP arrangement is modern-day slavery facing Zimbabweans in South Africa’

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) holders in South Africa are living under conditions comparable to “modern-day slavery,” according to Advocate Simba Chitando, who argued that the temporary nature of the permits has trapped thousands of migrants in long-term economic and legal insecurity despite decades of work and contribution to the South African economy.

Speaking in an interview on the Friday Drinks podcast about the challenges faced by ZEP holders, Chitando said the system leaves Zimbabweans vulnerable to exploitation by denying them the stability and rights ordinarily afforded to other long-term foreign residents.

He described a situation where individuals have spent 20 to 30 years, and in some cases their entire working lives, in South Africa without a pathway to permanence.

“My view is, as has been called by others, modern day slavery.

“They have given all of their working lives, the entire working life of a human being,” Chitando said.

He argued that the repeated short-term extensions of the permits prevent holders from building assets, accessing credit, or planning for the future.

One of the most immediate problems faced by ZEP holders is limited access to banking services.

Chitando noted that some banks have closed accounts held by ZEP beneficiaries because their internal systems do not recognise permit extensions, which are often communicated through ministerial letters or government gazettes rather than physical endorsements in passports.

As a result, many ZEP holders are denied full banking rights, including access to loans, mortgages and even basic consumer credit such as cellphone contracts. Without long-term legal certainty, financial institutions consider them high-risk, effectively excluding them from the formal economy.

Another major concern is the lack of a pathway to permanent residency. Under South African immigration law, many foreign nationals can apply for permanent residence after living and working in the country for five years.

ZEP holders, however, are excluded from this process, regardless of how long they have resided in South Africa.

This exclusion, Chitando argued, entrenches inequality by keeping Zimbabweans in a perpetual temporary status, dependent on political decisions and ministerial discretion. He warned that the system risks forcing migrants to eventually return to Zimbabwe “totally exhausted” and without savings or assets, despite years of labour in South Africa.

In October 2025, the South African government extended the validity of ZEPs by 18 months, allowing holders to remain in the country legally until May 28, 2027.

The extension was announced by Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber in Government Gazette No. 53484 through Immigration Directive No. 21 of 2025, issued under section 31(2)(b) of the Immigration Act.

The decision followed a Gauteng High Court directive requiring the Department of Home Affairs to consult stakeholders before making a final decision on the future of the ZEP programme. During the extension period, ZEP holders are protected from arrest, detention or deportation linked to the validity of their documentation.

The directive also allows ZEP holders to enter and leave South Africa under existing conditions and to apply for other categories of temporary visas without first producing a valid exemption certificate.

The department stated that no ZEP holder should be denied the opportunity to apply for a visa solely because they lack a valid permit endorsement in their passport.

Minister Schreiber said the Immigration Advisory Board (IAB), appointed in April 2025, was considering both short-term and long-term solutions for Zimbabwean nationals living in South Africa and will continue consultations with key stakeholders during the extension period.

The ZEP programme, introduced in 2009 under various names, was intended to regularise the stay of Zimbabweans who fled economic collapse and political instability at home. South Africa is estimated to host more than one million Zimbabwean nationals.