Operation Dudula to Challenge in Court Extension of Zimbabweans Special Exemption PermitsAn anti-immigrant outfit, Operation Dudula, says it will challenge South Africa’s decision to extend Zimbabweans Special Exemption Permits for over 178,000 people for six months. According to eNCA, Operation Dudula wants all Zimbabweans, who won’t manage to get new permits by December 31, 2022, to leave the country for the benefit of thousands of unemployed locals. The Department of Home Affairs reported recently that only 6,000 permit holders have so far applied to new work permits. In a statement last Thursday, the Home Affairs Department said it considered recommendations by a special Departmental Advisory Committee (DAC) to extent the application period up to June next year. “… The DAC recommended to the Minister that in view of the progress thus far, it will be prudent for the minister to consider extending the period within which the affected Zimbabwean nationals will have an opportunity to apply for visas and/or waivers for a further six months. “The minister has carefully considered the request and decided to extend the period by a further six months, that is, 31 December 2022 to30 June 2023. Another factor considered by the minister is that a few Zimbabweans have thus applied for visas and/or waivers.” In a directive to operationalize the extension, Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said in statutory instrument, "... With the powers bestowed upon me in terms of section 31(2)(b) read with section 31(2)(d) of the Immigration Act, decided to extend the Zimbabweans exemptions granted to Zimbabwean nationals for a further period of 6 months in order to allow the holders thereof to apply for one or other visas provided for in the Immigration Act that they may qualify for, hereby direct that this decision should be implemented ... during the further six months period from 31 December 2022, ending on 30 June 2023. "No holder of the exemption may be arrested, ordered to depart or be detained for purposes of deportation or deported in terms of section 34 of the Immigration Act fo any reason related to him or her not having any valid exemption certificate (i.e permit label/sticker in his or her passport." Reacting to the extension of the deadline, Ngqabutho Mabhena, chairperson of the Zimbabwe Community in South Africa, said, "We are pleased that the minister has extended the grace period from 31st December, 2022, to 30th of June, 2023. "This will give us an opportunity to ensure that our members will gather all the necessary documents to submit their applications. We will also use this period to engage the Department of Home Affairs to give clarity on the issue of waivers because there is confusion on who qualifies for a waiver."  JOHANNESBURG - Operation Dudula to challenge Zimbabwe Exemption Permit extension in court. The Department of Home Affairs announced that permits will be extended for a further six months. Over 170,000 migrants were at risk of deportation by December. READ: Immigration Debate | ZEP holders get 6-month extension However, under the new directive, they can not be arrested, detained or ordered to depart until June. The government is urging people to use this time to apply for visas or waivers. Source eNCA