Johannesburg – Home Affairs Minister Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi says he is going to ask the Supreme Court of Appeal to hear his objections to rulings on the Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEP).
On Monday the high court in Pretoria threw out Minister Motsoaledi’s application to appeal against the judgment that required him to go back to the drawing board on the ZEP regime.
The high court ruled that the minister’s application for leave to appeal had no reasonable prospects of success.
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However, late on Tuesday, Thabo Mokgola, spokesperson for the Minister, said Dr. Motsoaledi had “taken legal advice” on the judgment.
“The minister has decided to exhaust the legal remedies available to him. To this end, he has already instructed his legal representatives to lodge an application for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Appeal without any delay,” said Mokgola.
“The minister believes that the matter is of such great public importance to deserve the attention of a higher court.
“The minister is encouraged by the increased number of waiver and visa applications lodged by the affected Zimbabwean nationals.”
Mokgola revealed that Minister Motsoaledi was considering and approving an average of 2 000 waiver applications every week.
“The minister would like to assure the public that the Department of Home Affairs will continue to enforce the immigration laws without fear or favour,” said Mokgola.
“Hence the very successful two-day immigration workshop held on 16 and 17 October 2023 at Birchwood Hotel, in Gauteng.”
