South Africa’s decision to further extend the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit has now sat down well with some migrant experts.
They are now questioning if South Africa owes Zimbabwe something based on the continued backtracking of the permit.
This is the third time in as many months that the Home Affair’s department has back tracked on its decision to extend the permit.
Organisations that were at the forefront in support of Motsoaledi’s initial decision were seemingly disappointed by his latest decision, with a member of the Put South Africans First movement Thato Mahlangu saying this failure to implement solid laws was fuelling xenophobia and violence.
Mahlangu was part of the civic organisations which recently marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria calling on the government to deal with the issue of illegal immigrants.
He believes that there is no more room for the extension of the permit as South Africans are struggling to find employment.
Migrant activist Sharon Ekambaram said the department has to be called to account.
South Africa is currently facing one of its worst unemployment phenomenoms and there is little being done to address this scourge.
“It is shocking how the minister appears to be playing with people’s lives; the lives of black African people. What is the state of the White Paper on International Migration released in 2017?” she asked.
She questioned what South Africa really owes Zimbabwe as evidenced by the continued extension of the permit.
About 180 000 Zimbabweans are expected to renew their permits and this could be a game changer on the Home Affair’s work.