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Policy decision-making pandering to political populism? : the non-renewal of Zimbabwean Exemption Permits (ZEPS) by South Africa
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2600-271X
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EUI; STG; Policy Brief; 2023/16
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MLILO, Silindile Nanzile, Policy decision-making pandering to political populism? : the non-renewal of Zimbabwean Exemption Permits (ZEPS) by South Africa, EUI, STG, Policy Brief, 2023/16 - https://hdl.handle.net/1814/75691
Abstract
Proceedings in the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit holders (ZEPHs) court case commenced at the High Court in Pretoria on 11 April 2023. The Helen Suzman Foundation (HSF) and other civil society organisations were appealing against a decision by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) to not renew Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEPs), which will affect about 178,000 holders. These permits are now set to expire at the end of December 2023 after a further extension on the validity of the permits was granted on the 7 of June 2023. First introduced in 2009, the permits enabled the holders to live, work and study in South Africa. Previously, the DHA renewed the permits but in November 2021 the Minister of Home Affairs announced that they would no longer be renewed. It goes without saying that this decision will have far-reaching socioeconomic consequences for multiple ZEPHs, possibly leaving the majority of them in precarious situations. This policy brief discusses this issue and contends that the decision taken by the DHA was a populist move that failed to address the wellbeing of those affected. Furthermore, the policy brief advances the views of civil society organisations and others who have urged the state to seek a more long-term coordinated solution that results in regularisation of permit holders based on the length of time they have been in South Africa and the obvious implications the decision will have for their livelihoods and wellbeing. Furthermore, revoking ZEPs has the potential to create additional irregular migration and non-documentation issues, a result counter to the reason the permits were introduced in the first place.
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Funded by the European Union.