SA to waiver Zimbabwean Special Permit requirements?

South African Home Affairs ministerial spokesperson Mr Mayihlome Tswete said his government was willing to waiver stringent requirements for Zimbabwe Special Permit holders.

Mr Tswete, who was speaking on SA FM yesterday, said they would make it possible for the permits holders to apply for other options without having to go back to Zimbabwe.

"As a government we are willing to waiver and have a situation where they can apply for other options here in South Africa. Remember these are 200 000 people we are talking about and most of them are working. Asking them to go back to Zimbabwe at once to apply for permits would obviously affect our operations," he said.

He was however quick to point out that the Zimbabwe Special Permit could not be a "perpetual" arrangement.

"We must remember that this has been a long journey from the days of the ZDP in 2008 and now the ZSP which expiring in December. This one will not be renewed as we are trying to avoid a perpetual structure which will obviously have a bad bearing on our Government."

The reassuarance brings a sigh of relief for Zimbabweans who feared losing their jobs as they applied for permits in their homeland.

Zimbabwe and South Africa have watershed elections in 2018 and 2019 respectively and this has put a strain on their demographics.

An estimated 3 million Zimbabweans are living in South Africa, a situation that has disturbed voting patterns.

South African political parties EFF and DA have openly called on Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe who has been for 36 years to resign.

Revolutionary brother ANC has played a smart card, pushing Zimbabweans back home to sort their mess.