With the government determined to scrap the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP), permit holders were told they must apply for waivers and seek alternative visas if they wish to remain in South Africa legally.

A waiver allows ZEP holders, many of whom have been employed for years in South Africa, to continue in their jobs without having to go through an immigration process from scratch with the Department of Labour, for instance proving that the job was advertised and no South African applicant applied or was qualified for the position. Successful waiver applicants then apply for a general work visa.

In December 2023, Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said just over 78,000 Zimbabweans had applied for waivers and about 10,000 for alternative visas.

But a number of waiver applicants GroundUp spoke to say they have found themselves facing a new dilemma. Their waiver applications have been successful, but the letters have errors names, job descriptions and the companies employing them are incorrect.

This means they are legally in the country but with incorrect papers.

They showed GroundUp their waivers as proof, but they did not want their names published as they fear they will be victimised by Home Affairs. The waiver letters follow a format stating the regulations as well as the applicant’s ZEP number, name, employer and position of employment. They are signed by Minister Motsoaledi.

GroundUp is aware of a quality controller who received a waiver stating they are a baby carer; a safety officer designated as a cleaner, and a teacher as a school principal. There are many more such complaints shared on Zimbabwean WhatsApp groups and social media.

People we spoke to say they are told by VFS Global (the immigration agency Zimbabweans must use) not to collect the waivers but to write a complaint about the issue and have VFS return the waiver to Home Affairs.

There are so many cases posted on social media that some Zimbabweans believe it is being done on purpose by Home Affairs.

James Chapman, of

the Scalabrini Centre, said their organisation has not received any client with such errors. However, he said that if a waiver has errors, it will make it “very difficult to get a visa because VFS verifies the information on the waiver certificate and if it’s not correctly reflecting, then there are high chances of the application getting rejected”.

He said visa applications are routinely dismissed even if there is a minor error. The visa fee of R1,550 is not refunded.

“Employers can also be placed in a hard situation if documents of their employees are not properly exhibited and correct. They will find it difficult to deal with UIF and to also claim for tax benefits from SARS. I am not sure how employers will be able to address this situation,” said Chapman.

Mary (not her real name) arrived in South Africa nearly 20 years ago and works as a domestic worker. She says she was at first overjoyed when she received her waiver approval in 2023, only to discover it stated that she is a truck driver.

VFS advised her that they will return the document to Pretoria for rectification. Over a year later this has not been done.

Her employer, since 2014, is unhappy and concerned that they will now be in trouble with the law. She may lose her job as a result.

Harry (not his real name), a fruit farm supervisor since 2010, received his waiver this year, but was also designated as a truck driver.

His employer is unhappy and worried about how they will explain this to an inspector from the Department of Labour.

Harry says he has spent hundreds of rands now on taxi fares travelling to VFS, which has been unable to sort out the problem.

We have seen many more examples of incorrect information.

GroundUp has been trying since 9 January to get comment from Home Affairs spokespersons Siya Qoza and David Hlabane. V.5282

One of the highlighted topics: Critical Skills Visa.

- Key Insight: Is your profession on the Critical Skills List? This visa is your fast track to working in South Afr...
- This matter relates to critical skills visa and its broader implications.
- Individuals are advised to seek professional guidance.

Is your profession on the Critical Skills List? This visa is your fast trac V.6139
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One of the applicants, Phindile Mazibuko, became a victim of identity theft in 2012 when fraudulent transactions occurred, using her personal details.

-The Pretoria High Court found that the department of home affairs had violated constitutional rights without due process.
-Only half of Lawyers for Human Rights` test group has been unblocked, while 385 000 identities remain blocked nationwide.
-LHR appeals extension, urges affected people to seek help now.

Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) are intensifying pressure on the department of home affairs over the national ID-blocking crisis, accusing the state of acting too slowly to unblock qualifying individuals despite a landmark court ruling.

In January last year, the Pretoria High Court found that the department`s practice of blocking IDs without due process was unlawful and unconstitutional. One of the applicants, Phindile Mazibuko, a Swati citizen and South African permanent resident since 1998, fell victim to identity theft in 2012 when fraudsters used her personal details.

 V.6133
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The Border Management Authority (BMA) has doubled its staff at Airports in South Africa , including immigration officers.

What does this mean for travelers? V.6128
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The Border Management Authority (BMA) has doubled its staff at Airports in South Africa , including immigration officers.

What does this mean for travelers? V.6129
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A Washington state mother and her 6-year-old son have been released after spending more than three weeks in US immigration detention due to a brief trip to Canada and a small paperwork mistake, her attorney told CNN on Saturday.

Sarah Shaw, a New Zealand citizen who has lived legally in the US since she arrived in 2021, was detained at the Blaine, Washington, Customs and Border Protection checkpoint when returning home after dropping her two oldest children off at the Vancouver airport for a flight to visit their grandparents in New Zealand. Shaw, 33, chose the flight out of Vancouver because it was direct and she didn`t want her children to have to navigate a layover alone, her attorney Minda Thorward, told CNN.

 V.6130
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On 22 July 2025, the Gauteng High Court dismissed Sitrusrand Boerdery`s review of the Department of Employment and Labour`s refusal to issue a Working Conditions and Salary Benchmarking Certificate, an essential precondition for obtaining corporate visas under the Immigration Act.

Acting Judge Kekana AJ held that the Department`s decision was lawful, rational and procedurally fair. This judgment illustrates how businesses can - and must - structure their corporate visa applications to meet statutory requirements, and how legal practitioners should prepare robust review challenges when administrative authorities decline to recommend foreign-work permits.

 V.6131
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The United States could forfeit an estimated 9.4 billion dollars in visitor spending over the next three years following the introduction of a new 250 dollars `visa integrity fee,` according to industry groups, who warn the policy risks undermining tourism and costing thousands of jobs.
The United States’ decision to introduce a 250 dollars `visa integrity fee` on international visitors has triggered sharp criticism from the global tourism industry, with officials warning that the measure could deter millions of travellers and cost the U.S. economy billions.
The 250dollar `visa integrity fee,` part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed on July 4, 2025, will take effect later this year. According to immigration law firm Envoy Global, it applies to all nonimmigrant visa holders which include students, tourists, temporary workers, and business visitors particularly from African countries. V.6132
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The Border Management Authority (BMA) has doubled its staff at Airports in South Africa , including immigration officers.

What does this mean for travelers? V.6127
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1. Right to Legal Representation•You have the right to consult with a legal representative.•Contact an immigration practitioner, legal aid clinic, or attorney urgently.•Do not sign any documents without understanding them fully. 2. Section 34 of the Immigration Act•You must be brought to court with 48 hours to confirm arrest but you can remain locked up very long as courts figure out what to do with you •If you`re found to be illegally in South Africa, you may be detained for up to 30 days (extendable by a magistrate) pending deportation.•BUT this cannot happen arbitrarily. You must be informed of your rights, and Home Affairs must follow due process.- becomes a nightmare , you could lose your job , business , place to stay V.6121
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Driving for Bolt, Uber, Mr D, or Checkers Sixty60?If you`re undocumented, you`re risking more than just your income.The Risks if You`re Not Legal: - Vehicle impoundment - Heavy fines - Arrest & deportation - Permanent bans from working in SA V.6122
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