How will an exodus of expiring Zim permit holders affect the SA remittance industry?

Only 6,000 out of the estimated 178,000 Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP) holders have made an application for a conventional visa for their stay in South Africa. This proportion represents 3.37% of the entire population of the Zimbabwean Diaspora on the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit who work, study and live in SA.

How this all came about because the South African government is seeking to regularise the status of Zimbabweans in SA. By doing this, they want to administer the immigration process for Zimbabweans through the visa system and not some instrument that operates beyond it.

According to reports, there are some who have already resigned themselves to returning back to Zimbabwe. However, the exact number is unknown... Although, from the figures of those who have applied for an alternate visa, at least at this point, it looks like there might be a mad dash to do it last minute or there may be a significant movement of people back to Zimbabwe if they choose not to abscond.

Whatever the case might be, there is the potential for a mass exodus which will affect a thriving industry both in Zimbabwe and in South Africa.