South Africa: Constitutional Court refuses Home Affairs leave to appeal Zimbabwe permit decision
Published: 19/Jun/2024
Source: GroundUp (Cape Town)
In June 2023 the Pretoria High Court ruled that the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit was unlawfully terminated
By Tania Broughton
The Constitutional Court has dismissed an application by the Minister of Home Affairs for leave to appeal a June 2023 Pretoria High Court ruling that the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) programme had been unlawfully terminated.
The court ordered that the minister must meaningfully consult with the 178,000 affected permit holders.
The matter was brought to court by the Helen Suzman Foundation which argued that the minister had not taken into account the profound impact of the termination of the ZEP programme on those who had been living and working in South Africa, legally, for more than a decade.
The Supreme Court of Appeal previously refused to entertain (then) Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi’s attempt to appeal the ruling.
The Constitutional Court this week similarly declined to hear arguments in the minister’s appeal.
In an unanimous decision, it simply refused leave to appeal, making no order as to costs.
Read further: https://groundup.org.za/article/constitutional-court-refuses-home-affairs-leave-to-appeal-zimbabwe-permit-decision/