Harare – The Zimbabwe Exemption Permit Holders Association (Zepha) has urgently appealed to the Zimbabwean government for assistance in expediting a programme of voluntary return for its members, citing increasingly unbearable conditions for Zimbabweans living in South Africa.
In a memo addressed to the Zimbabwean ambassador to South Africa, Zepha detailed a litany of challenges faced by Zimbabweans, stating that they are "now forced to litigate when they go to the hospital, schools, universities, travel on the roads, and at the work place."
Zepha has already initiated a repatriation programme but is seeking the Zimbabwean government's support in facilitating the relocation of thousands of ZEP holders. The organisation is requesting assistance with finding accommodation and business opportunities, as well as lowering regulatory barriers to ensure a smooth return.
The memo paints a grim picture of the environment faced by Zimbabweans in South Africa, alleging widespread exploitation and discrimination. "Many South Africans believe that Zimbabweans are hapless Zanu-PF victims useful only for their highly sought-after cheap, efficient, and trustworthy labour," the memo reads. "Their assistance for Zimbabwean staff extends only to prolonging exploitation, but not to provide Zimbabweans with the rights required to live full and dignified lives. In my view, they have no interest in the stability of Zimbabweans in South Africa, and the generations that will follow."
Zepha claims that the majority black population in South Africa blames Zimbabweans for taking jobs, homes, medical services, and economic opportunities. The organisation further alleges that vigilante groups have been formed to harm, rob, and even kill Zimbabweans, with perpetrators facing no prosecution.
The memo highlights the mainstreaming of xenophobia by political parties such as the Patriotic Alliance, MK Party, and ActionSA. It also points to "quasi-militias" operating as Operation Dudula and Put South Africa First, which have physically targeted foreigners, particularly Zimbabweans. According to Zepha, these attacks appear orchestrated and tend to escalate during elections and national crises such as Covid and load shedding.
The white minority, according to the memo, blames Zanu-PF for the economic woes that have forced Zimbabweans to seek refuge in South Africa. "The mainstream media, which they control, have successfully sold the South African population the idea that Zimbabwe is a failed state, which will never recover without them, and that it stands as an example of what could happen to South Africa if their interests are not protected," the memo states.
Zepha argues that the abuse of Zimbabweans in South Africa has caused "significant psychological and emotional harm to all Zimbabweans in South Africa." The organisation asserts that "it is a matter that, in the view of many medical doctors and academics, cannot continue."
The memo further claims that Zimbabwean children in South Africa are being raised and conditioned to believe that they are second-class citizens due to the humiliation, degradation, mistreatment, and public scorn their parents face, allegedly fuelled by state-sponsored anti-Zimbabwe rhetoric.
Zepha's memo details specific instances of discrimination, including:
- Traffic authorities allegedly refusing to renew driving licences of Zepha members and conducting roadblocks targeting foreigners without licences.
- Increased police raids in communities with high concentrations of Zimbabweans.
- Banks freezing or putting ZEP holders' accounts on hold, deeming their permits invalid.
- Increased law enforcement activity at companies employing Zimbabweans, leading to terminations of employment.
- Withholding of Unemployment Insurance Fund and pension fund payments from dismissed Zimbabwean workers.
- Children of ZEP permit holders being prevented from writing exams due to a lack of study visas.
- Numerous reports of Zimbabweans, including pregnant women, being denied treatment at South African hospitals.
Zepha also accuses the South African Department of Home Affairs (DHA) of obstructing ZEP holders' rights to apply for permanent residence, despite having lived, worked, and paid taxes in South Africa for decades, as permitted under the Immigration Act.
The Gauteng High Court ruled in 2023 that the DHA's decision to terminate the ZEP programme was unlawful and unconstitutional, ordering the government to conduct public participation with the ZEP community. The ZEP programme was subsequently extended to the end of 2025, a deadline that Zepha argues many applicants for permanent residence are unlikely to meet.
ZEP holders are required to make online appointments with the visa processing company VFS, but many have reportedly waited four or more months without receiving an appointment, meaning their applications will not be processed before the programme expires.
In its appeal to the Zimbabwean ambassador, Zepha concludes that "nobody can reach their full potential in a toxic environment that is the reality for Zimbabweans in South Africa." The organisation believes that "history has taught us that the return of significant numbers of the diaspora back to their country of origin, in various jurisdictions at various times, has led to economic development, transfer of skills, diversity of industry, and national pride."
The Zimbabwean government is now faced with the challenge of responding to Zepha's plea and determining how best to support its citizens who are facing increasingly difficult circumstances in South Africa. The situation highlights the complex and sensitive issues surrounding migration, xenophobia, and the socio-economic challenges facing both Zimbabwe and South Africa. The urgent need for a coordinated response is clear, as the well-being and safety of Zimbabwean nationals in South Africa hang in the balance.
