Unwelcomed Neighbours: Measuring the human cost of ending Zimbabwean permits

Zimbabwean expatriates who settled in South Africa will expire, leaving many of them vulnerable to deportation if they are unable to secure alternative permits by then.

If they are unsuccessful, in some cases, an entire generation of children will be forced to relocate with their parents to a country they may never even have visited. In November 2021, the department announced that the ZEP would not be extended again, and all holders of this special permit had until 31 December 2021 to apply for a visa to stay in South Africa.

A government of national unity was eventually formed in 2009 between Morgan Tsvangirai and Robert Mugabe. Still, trust issues often saw it hit the rocks. So many in the country who had had enough of the constant anxiety and hardship, decided to leave. However, after the sudden swell of people applying for asylum or refugee status during the political and economic turmoil, in April 2009, Cabinet created the Dispensation of Zimbabweans Project.

But anti-Zimbabwean sentiment appears to have resurfaced again, with Zimbabweans being accused of taking jobs that South Africans could be doing. I started working as a home-based carer and was so happy to put my princess in a very good school. Now we can't renew our permits. I don't know any other life than the one I have now.I have worked as a forecourt attendant at a petrol station in Gqeberha since 2008. The decision to scrap the Zimbabwean Exemption Permits will affect me because I am providing for both my family here in South Africa and my parents in Zimbabwe. My father needs my assistance as he is 95 years old.

I also support three children, one of which I had to take out of school because of this permit [situation]. I haven't been able to do simple things like renewing my car licence because I was told my permit had expired.The cancellation of the Zimbabwean Exemption permits came as a shock, not only to me but also to my fellow countrymen who are ZEP holders.

With the non-renewal of the ZEP, I am deeply worried that my husband will lose his job and even be deported, and then I will suffer with the children. I won't be able to provide for my children the way my husband is providing for them right now, which is to pay rent, buy food, pay school fees and school transport.

News24 can we focus on our SA issues there’s so much. Why are pushing this agenda?

180000 Zims in SA🫣 That is 180000 SA jobs that could have been filled by SA citizens... Guess no one is looking or cares about the unemployment rate in SA... And who said Zims aint welcome? They are more than welcome if they enter legally...

They must pack & go, our people are suffering because of them, worse, they call us all sorts of names in our own backyard.

Nigerians next

180 000 out of 15 million undocumented Zimbabweans in South Africa? Please try again.

Nna lethoma gore bhora🚮

While edmnangagwa is focused on sending more of their unemployed people here again

🚮🚮

It's probably Zimbabwens writtiting these stupid articles. And whites have made it their mission to support other Africans before South Africans so that we are devided. iilegal is illegal. No exceptions should be made anymore. Otherwise okunyiwe once.

Imagine what a force180000 skilled people can be to grow their own country to what it should be. Zimbabwe needs them.

I'm so surprised by the way your running this zim permits. What narrative are pushing like to say zimbos can stay they want? As a traveler myself I will advocate for them to leave they overstay their welcome let them go and use the resources they gathered 2 enhance Zim

All makwerekweres must go,they are useless people🤮🤮

This is a good move by South African government it is time for zimbos to face their black president mnangwagwa he is not white he is not European he is not Chinese not even afrikaaner but black African man mnangangwa

So says people who lock their offices and homes ring fenced with high security fence heavy personnel presence to keep unwanted visitors out…lead by example by leaving both ur homes & offices accessible to anyone in need to help themselves, then we will know how serious u are

Media24 you can also move with them to establish your News Head Quarters in Harare and help rebuild Zimbabwe, South Africa doesn't need Media24 any more, we have enough joblessness and more problems to deal with than to focus on Zim permits, majority of South Africans don't care

We do not care, you can write all you want about your neighbours. If you like, feel free to follow them and run news24 in their country. Fokof nx!!

Whh they use a picture of Wesley Snipes?

Good news🤣

Why do you hate South Africans so much? Or are you bidding for your owners' cheap Labour?

Your propaganda won’t make us feel sorry for illegal foreigners, neither will it even affect our mentality regarding this notion, that 180k is only a figure of Zim babies born in this country, add a few Zeros and only then you will be counting their parents too.

There is no place like home

They also have stories👇👇

What about the futureof these ones?

I personally do not

Hey madoda, news24 nje unprovoked you creating unwelcomedneighbours left right and centre. Can’t these people just go home so we could focus on fixing our country?

Simthem52007892 Hang in the balance or already going home

This outcry must be seen for what it is. Covert racism & slavery. When democracy dawned on SA, the 'black servants' sought to have their rights. Now the 'Zimbabwean servants' do not care about their rights hence this outcry. The employers do not want their 'modern slaves' to go.

If they are there then they have proper papers. Not the shit that's happening here. ABC is out in 2024. They should do the same with Zanu pf. It gave them land but they are here working for white farmers as cheap slaves. Bloody stupid.

You're on a campaign for Zimbabweans hey. How many stories are gonna write? And obvious, more are coming

Where did you get your figures of 180k zimbos, if it was that number only SA would be happy because that number of Zimbabweans alone is incarcerated in our prisons, unfortunately your constant reporting on this issue,won't make us teary eyed&feel sorry for these criminals

A friend of mine said he came to SA because the Whites they chased away there came this side, he doesnt like it here but he just followed his bosses tho he didn't locate them but he believes they here

Those with proper documentation would be safe if it weren't for the millions who chose to be in the country illegally... 180 000 is not even half the number

Don't those ' HANGS IN THE BALANCE ' have home country nare?. Let them accept that PERMIT- TUMELELO EXPIRED E FIHLILE BOFELONG FINISH N KLAAR PACK N GO home and STOP ACT as sadc cry babies just for pity n sympathy to remain parasites! GO HOME AND BE AT PEACE ✌️

Guys we have a president with a farm Phalapha n dollars stached and yet we publish zim news

You mean 5 million Zimbabweans

The media has become enemy of the people, they ignore facts and report nonsense. SA government has notified these people and given them a year period to apply for other alternatives visas to remain in the country. Surely these permits were bound to end at some point,

You can move to Zimbabwe and run news24 from there, you will employ as many as you like we won't bother you

We don't care about their stories, we also have stories of Unemployment, poverty, crime etc but no one in SA wants to listen to them.

How many times are you going to tweet about this issue today ? Or is this a campaign of some sort ?

Ten cent is not doing well maybe let’s try News 24

They must go home, we are gatvol of foreigners... We can't even fix our country because they fucking everything.

Hawu wenja, ungasinyeli wena,

Let these Zimbabwe's go maan they over stayed here

Next we must focus on Naija boys a d their drug trafficking

In my point of view, you’re absolutely foreigner who gonna be affected by that decision.

What’s going on today are you going to recycle the same story 500 times ?

The future of South africans don't matter to whites who wants to continue to benefit from running labour slavery

South Africans first, then neighbors.

Your propaganda won't work this time. VoetsekSAMedia dudula WeWantOurCountryBack

News24 is obviously in Support of Foreign Nationals from Zimbabwe The ANC Mouth Piece and ANC Voter Hunter is quite pitiful to their Plite of being sent back....VOETSEK NEWS24.

Isn't there any other content you can push... instead of shuviing this permit issue down our throats... or is this all that you can talk about 🤷‍♂️

Feelings does not run a country, there's a law for a reason dammit!!!

And we are happy with that decision.

I like our Zimbabwean couzins,very good people they are.

We have businessmen who benefit from weak illegal immigration system behind these coordinated articles. We must fight harder.

Imagine that accommodate a desperate person in your home on terms that once he’s up and running he vacates your home. When time comes and he’s well to do, you ask him to move out and he sues you to stay in your home!

Yho, you guys are really putting a lot of energy into this, le na le di 'investors' as your shareholders clearly

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