Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber has announced an 18-month extension to the Zimbabwean Exemption Permits (ZEPs), extending their validity to 28 May 2027.

The ZEP was first introduced in 2017 and was designed to regularize the status of Zimbabwean nationals residing in South Africa under the previous Zimbabwean Dispensation Permit. In December 2021, the Department of Home Affairs announced that ZEP would be discontinued, giving holders until December 31, 2022, to move to another visa category.

The Johannesburg High Court ruled in 2023 that the termination of ZEP was unlawful and directed the government to review the decision in a fair and legal manner.