Promise Ncube, a Zimbabwean domestic worker in South Africa, faces an uncertain future as the deadline for the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) looms.
The South African government’s planned termination of the ZEP programme impacts not only the 178 000 ZEP holders like Ncube, who must regularise their status by December 31, 2024, but also a wider network of family members back home who rely on remittances for survival.
For Ncube, the ZEP has been more than just a piece of documentation, it has been a gateway to financial stability and relative safety in South Africa since she migrated in search of work.
As the termination date approaches, Ncube is left in limbo, her ability to remain in the country dependent on whether she can obtain a waiver that would extend her stay.
Yet, with new leadership in South Africa’s Home Affairs Department, Ncube’s hope has been reignited.
The recently appointed Home Affairs Minister, Leon Schreiber of the Democratic Alliance (DA), has hinted at reforms that could potentially pave the way for ZEP holders to obtain permanent residency, a move that could provide some relief to Zimbabweans facing expulsion.
Schreiber’s stance aligns with his party’s policy of embracing skilled immigrants while balancing security concerns, a departure from previous policies that many saw as limiting for foreign nationals.
“Every day has been filled with uncertainty,” Ncube shared, explaining her plight.
“I applied for a waiver, hoping it could allow me to continue working and supporting my family back in Zimbabwe. My work here is my family’s only means of survival.”
In addition to her role as a domestic worker, Ncube sends groceries to her family in Zimbabwe, where economic instability and unemployment have left her loved ones dependent on her support.
“The pressure is overwhelming,” she admitted, recounting her worries over what her family would face should she be forced to leave South Africa.
Ncube’s struggle is one shared by many in the Zimbabwean diaspora, who have built lives in South Africa, working in essential sectors and supporting both the South African economy and their families in Zimbabwe.
The South African government first introduced the ZEP in 2010, creating an amnesty for Zimbabweans who had fled political and economic crises.
However, the programme was always intended as a temporary measure, and the current administration argues that the country’s immigration policies need tightening to prioritise South African citizens.
Despite this, human rights organisations and immigration lawyers continue to appeal to the South African government, highlighting the social and economic impact of the ZEP termination on both countries.
With Schreiber in office, the Democratic Alliance has promised a review of policies that could see qualified ZEP holders transition to permanent residency.
As December 31 nears, Ncube clings to the hope that her waiver application and Schreiber’s reform plans will secure her place in South Africa.
In the meantime, she continues her daily routine, balancing her work obligations and managing the growing anxiety over her future.
“I hope we get the chance to stay,” Ncube said, who knows for her and thousands of others, the clock is ticking.
The next few months will determine whether they can continue building lives in South Africa or if they must leave behind years of hard work and the communities they’ve come to know as home.
Hellen South Africa’s largest opposition party, the DA, has expressed that Zimbabweans are hardworking individuals who should be allowed to legalise their ZEPs.
Zille emphasized that Zimbabwean permit holders contribute significantly to the local economy and should continue to stay in South Africa. This pro-Zimbabwean migrant stance has given Zimbabweans optimism regarding the DA’s appointment of a minister to run the Home Affairs Department.
“The appointment of the DA MP, Leon Schreiber, to head the Home Affairs portfolio is a welcome change,” said the leader of the African Diaspora Global Network, Dr Vusumuzi Sibanda, in an interview with CITE.
“We want to see how the DA will handle the Home Affairs department because it has been in shambles for a very long time,” he added.
Dr Sibanda remarked that the ongoing fight for ZEP holders looked promising at this specific point in time, citing Zille’s statements advocating for Zimbabweans to be granted permanent residency.
“A month after the South African elections, Hellen Zille said ZEP holders really needed to have permanent residence in South Africa,” said the migrant leader. “There is a likelihood of ZEP holders getting permanent residency, and people are hopeful that this particular minister might push for it. This would be a welcome change.”
However, Dr Sibanda was aware that the ideas of one party in a Government of National Unity (GNU) might not be shared by others.
“The concern is whether the Cabinet in South Africa will adopt the DA stance. Will the DA’s policy prevail, or will the Cabinet oppose it?” he questioned. “Often, when people are not in government, they say one thing and do another once in power.”
Dr Sibanda added that his organisation, the African Diaspora Global Network, would ‘obviously’ consult with the new Home Affairs Minister to express their views.
“Of course, we will have discussions,” he summed up.
Ngqabutho Nicholas Mabhena, Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Community in South Africa, echoed these sentiments, stating they are waiting to see what changes the DA will bring to the Home Affairs Department regarding migration.
“We are not sure how the DA and other political parties in the GNU will implement their policies in government. Over the years, ANC ministers have implemented ANC policies in government,” he said.
Mabhena cited South Africa’s White Paper on Citizenship, Immigration, and Refugee Protection, which aims to overhaul the country’s migration system. It was gazetted under the leadership of former Home Affairs Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, as an ANC policy document.
“Motsoaledi was implementing ANC policy. We are now waiting to see if the DA will introduce its policies,” he said. “We look forward to seeing what the new minister will bring to the Department of Home Affairs.”
Mabhena also agreed with Dr Sibanda that while they were hoping for positive news regarding ZEP holders, caution was necessary as politicians often say and do contradictory things.
“The DA said they would grant permanent residence to holders of the Zimbabwe Exemption Permits. We don’t know if they still hold that view or if they will change their stance now that they are in government,” said the chairperson of the Zimbabwe community in South Africa.
*Not her real name
