South Africa extends Zimbabwean Exemption Permit to 2027

9 October 2025

Nokusa Masuku

South Africa’s Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber has issued an immigration directive that extends the validity of the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) until 28 May 2027.

The said permit, which allows approximately 178 000 Zimbabweans to live, work and study in South Africa lawfully, was set to expire on the 28th of November 2025.

However, a successful court challenge against the termination of the ZEP placed the permit’s future squarely in the Minister’s hands and directed that any decision about the permit must be preceded by a rational, constitutionally fair process.

Schreiber, however, confirms in the directive that the consultation process is still ongoing.

This latest directive protects any holder of the permit from being arrested, ordered to depart or be detained for the purposes of deportation for any reason related to not having any valid exemption permit.