Zimbabwean and Lesotho foreigners

Zimbabwean Exemption Permits (ZEP’s) and Lesotho Exemption Permits (LEP’s), were due to lapse on 28 November 2025. The Minister of Home Affairs has extended the validity of these permits until 28 May 2027.

Waiver, visa and appeal applications

The Minister of Home Affairs has also announced the further extension, until 30 June 2027, of the concession granted in respect of waiver and appeal applications. The reason given for this extension is the continued backlog in the processing of applications.

The extension notices can be found here:

• ZEP extension (CLICK HERE)
• LEP extension (CLICK HERE)
• Waiver and appeal application concession (CLICK HERE)

Employers’ responsibility

Employers have a duty to ascertain whether their foreign employees have a right to live and work in South Africa, as well as to establish the limitations of their work permits or visas. They should therefore obtain proof from their employees that they are ZEP or LEP holders, or that they have made the applications mentioned.

Employers should be mindful of other situations that put them at risk of prosecution, such as –

• Foreigners who entered the country illegally and have made no application for asylum
• Visas/permits have lapsed, but no new application have been made
• Foreigners with documentation that was clearly forged
• Foreigners with documentation that is suspect and needs verification

For more information regarding termination of employment in these situations, see our previous article at https://labourwise.co.za/labour-articles/foreigners-illegal

Disclaimer: The material above is provided for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. Neither the author nor the publisher accepts responsibility for any loss or damage that may arise from reliance on information contained in this article.