South Africa’s f Home Affairs Minister says he is opening consultations over the fate of about 178,000 Zimbabwe on special permits, after a court barred government plans to deport them.
Speaking during a Parliamentary debate on his department’s budget, Leon Schreiber says he is appointing a board to discuss the permits and other problems in South Africa’s immigration system.
“The advisory board can provide the Minister with evidence-based advice on tackling critical matters, such as the court-ordered process of consultation on the future of the Zimbabwean exemption permit,” he said.
Immigration is a hot issue in South Africa, where unemployment is high and xenophobic attacks on black foreigners flare up often.
Schreiber has pledged to step up inspections at restaurants, spaza shops, farms and mines by over 50% to act against people illegally employed. “These inspections are most effective when done in collaboration with other departments, such as Employment and Labour, the police and local government. I will be reaching out to colleagues in the relevant departments with the aim of conducting joint operations to maximise our ability to hold everyone involved in illegal activities to account,” he said.
African National Congress MP and chair of the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs, Mosa Chabane, called for more resources for Home Affairs, especially in the permit and refugee sections of the department, as well as the Border Management Authority.
South Africa introduced special permits for Zimbabweans in 2009, allowing economic migrants to stay in the country. The permits have been extended several times, despite strong sentiment in South Africa against African migrants.
In 2021, Schreiber’s predecessor, Aaron Motsoaledi, began a process to push special permit holders to apply for other categories of work permits, which most would not qualify for, or leave the country. The Constitutional Court in June barred the deportations.
