Cape Town – Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi is taking his case to the Supreme Court of Appeal after a defeat in the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) case.
The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria dismissed Motsoaledi’s application for leave to appeal a previous ruling regarding his decision to terminate the ZEP programme, ordering him to pay the costs.
According to The Citizen, Motsoaledi is pursuing this appeal, arguing that the matter is of significant public importance.
In a statement, Motsoaledi’s spokesperson Thabo Mokgola said the minister has reviewed the entire court judgment regarding the ZEP case.
“The minister has also 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.
Motsoaledi appeals high court ruling on ZEP ‘without any delay’: Home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi will challenge a Pretoria high court ruling that saw him lose an application relating to the Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEPs). https://t.co/kaPPgAICsV
— SA Breaking News (@SABreakingNews) October 18, 2023
“The minister believes that the matter is of such great public importance to deserve the attention of a higher court,” the report quoted Mokgola as saying.
He said that Motsoaledi has also noted an increase in waiver and visa applications from affected Zimbabwean nationals and will continue to enforce immigration laws.
“The minister is considering and approving an average of 2 000 waiver applications every week. He would like to assure the public that the Department of Home Affairs will continue to enforce the immigration laws without fear or favour.”
The ZEP deadline was extended by six months to December 31 due to the high volume of applications.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
