Judgement reserved in Helen Suzman Foundation’s challenge over ZEP discontinuation

Judgment has been reserved in the Helen Suzman Foundation’s challenge against the discontinuation of the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) programme.

The ZEP allows Zimbabweans to live and work in South Africa and has been in place in various forms since 2009.

But Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi decided to discontinue the ZEP.

The decision has been met with widespread backlash and is currently the subject of multiple court challenges.
The first challenge was brought by the Helen Suzman Foundation together with the Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa and got underway before a full bench of the Pretoria High Court on Tuesday.

Earlier on Wednesday, the court heard from advocate Ismail Jamie for the Department of Home Affairs who argued to the effect that the minister’s decision isn’t reviewable because it didn’t strip ZEP holders of any rights, it in fact vested them with more rights.

Jamie maintained that the ZEP programme was due to expire anyway and that the minister had, in fact, extended the protection ZEP holders enjoyed for an additional grace period of 18 months to allow them to get their affairs in order.

But in response, counsel for the Helen Suzman Foundation and the Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa said the termination of the ZEP programme remains an adverse decision.

They also responded to Jamie’s argument that it would have been impossible to consult the 178,000-odd ZEP holders ahead of the decision which is what the Helen Suzman Foundation and the consortium said should have been done.

They’ve highlighted that the minister managed to write to all the permit holders to inform them that the programme was coming to an end and said even if it was impossible, civil society should have at least been consulted.

Judgment has been reserved.

-EWN

In other news – Gogo Maweni sets the record straight on claims she’s divorcing her husband

Mzansi reality TV star and celebrity traditional healer, Lee-Anne “Gogo Maweni” Mokopo has addressed rumours that she and her husband Sabelo Mgube are headed for divorce. This comes after reports suggested that they were going through a rocky patch and Sabelo did Maweni dirty.

They recently celebrated their 5th wedding anniversary at the new establishment Zuma restaurant in Durban. Taking to her Instagram stories Gogo Maweni set the record straight on rumours that she and her husband are headed for splitsville. Learn More