South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs has walked back suggestions that holders of the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit could apply for permanent residency, saying no such change has been made and that consultations on the matter are still ongoing.
The clarification came on Wednesday after media reports earlier in the week indicated that ZEP holders and their Lesotho counterparts would be allowed to apply for permanent residence. Those reports followed statements made by Deputy Home Affairs Minister Njabulo Nzuza in media interviews, in which he said ZEP holders “should be looking at other legal pathways” to secure their stay in South Africa.
“If they seek to stay within the country, then they must apply for other forms of entrance into the country,” Nzuza said. 
The department moved quickly to correct that impression, stating it was still busy with consultations on a revised white paper on citizenship, immigration, and refugees.
“Consistent with the conditions of their permits, the holders of ZEP do not qualify for permanent residence permits,” the department clarified.
Home Affairs confirmed that there had been no change in the status of the ZEP or in its implications for its holders, or for holders of the Lesotho equivalent permit. The department reiterated existing deadlines and said its consultations were aimed at ensuring a “fair, transparent, and legally sound” final outcome.
The permits have a long and complicated history. The first special allowances for Zimbabwean nationals were granted in 2009 in the form of a five-year permit called the Dispensation for Zimbabwe Permit. That permit was extended for three years and then repeatedly extended again until the government moved to end the programme by December 2021.
A legal challenge by the Helen Suzman Foundation followed, compelling the department to comply with certain provisions of the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act. The most significant moment in the permits’ history came in 2023, when a court ruled that the discontinuation of the permits was unconstitutional, forcing the department to revise its legislation.
The last extension in the 17-year history of the permits was announced in June 2025, pushing the expiry date to May 2027 while a public participation programme is conducted.
For emaSwati with family members or connections in South Africa who hold ZEP permits, the department’s position is unchanged. Those permits remain valid until May 29, 2027, and holders do not qualify for permanent residence under current conditions.
“The Department of Home Affairs remains committed to finding a sustainable and fair solution to this long-standing matter relating to permit holders. A detailed report with clear recommendations will be presented to Cabinet by the end of the 2026-27 financial year,” the department said.
