South Africans on social media have accused Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi of being weak and spineless for folding to pressure. This comes after the Minister extended the validity of the Zimbabwe special exemption permits (ZEP) by another six months on Friday.
An estimated 180 000 Zimbabwean nationals were in jeopardy of being deported out of South Africa on 31 December, the initial expiry date.
However, Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi came to their rescue on Friday when he announced an extension from 31 December 2022 to 30 June 2023.
This decision appears not to have gone down well with South Africans who previously praised the Minister for being tough on foreigners, especially Zimbabweans.
In the wake of the extension, South Africans took to social media where they accused the Minister of being weak and caving in to pressure, allegedly from Zimbabweans.
Below is how some South Africans reacted to the news that Minister Motsoaledi extended the Zimbabwe special exemption permits by another six months.
@Lebogang_Loks
Spineless!
@nyebe_official
We don’t accept that. He must keep all of them in his house for that 6 months.
@WakaNorman
The Zimbabweans squeezed him hard until he gave something as they demanded. Weak Minister and country.
@alfred_cabonena
Motsoaledi extends the validity of Zimbabwe special permits for a further 6 months.
This is a blow to South Africans. Motsoaledi is another ANC traitor.
@nhlapomavis1
After all the temper tantrums anyway I did not trust him at all he was showing weakness lately I doubted him “there we go BOOM “extended.
@VusiSambo
To think this whole year most tweeps here were rooting for Cde Aaron as an Action Man; a reliable patriot who #PutSouthAficansFirst blah blah.
The cadres will humble you for days
@David_94__
Yah no, Zimbabweans are blessed, having two countries at the same time, they’re enjoying all the benefits, the day things go bad in SA they can go back home but us we have no where to run to.
@mphoseeri
Motsoaledi and @homeaffairsZA
thought they are being genius by throwing a bomb on us on an afternoon Friday of spring month end. Thinking will all be drunk and miss the news.
@MYANC people are all the same. Fucken heartless.
@Kelebile141
DISAPPOINTING Minister, that is not what you promised SAfr who are sick and tired of being unemployed and sleeping on the floor when Zimbabweans are sleeping on the beds. This is very unfair. Whose interests are you serving SAfr or foreigners.
@sm_orderflow
Hypocrite but then what can you expect from an ANC minister
“Motsoaledi Is Spineless” – South Africans React After Home Affairs Extends Zimbabwe Exemption Permits [ZEP] By 6 Months
[Photo: Zimbabwe Embassy Ottawa]
The extension comes after civil society decisions dragged the Minister to court, challenging the decision to terminate the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP).
Part of the statement extending the permits reads,
“The Minister has carefully considered the request and decided to extend the period by a further six months, that is, 31 December 2022 to 30 June 2023.
“Another factor considered by the Minister is that few Zimbabwe nationals have thus far applied for visas or waivers. To this end, the Minister has issued another directive.
“The department calls upon all the affected Zimbabwe nationals to make use of this window of opportunity and not wait for the last moment to lodge their applications as is the case now.”-iharare
