Zim GBC News | South African Correspondent
JOHANNESBURG – A Zimbabwean woman holding a valid Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP) is recovering in hospital after she was allegedly beaten with the butt of a pistol by a police officer at Rabie Ridge Police Station, in an incident that has sparked outrage and renewed concerns over the treatment of permit holders in South Africa.
According to eyewitness accounts, the woman was arrested today along with several other ZEP holders and detained at the same station for not having “days” stamped on her passport. When she insisted that her passport did not require such stamping because of her permit status, a male officer allegedly lost his temper and struck her repeatedly in the face and head with his firearm.
The victim was subsequently rushed to hospital for medical treatment.
The extent of her injuries remains unknown at this time.
Legal experts have clarified that Zimbabwean Exemption Permit holders are legally entitled to reside in South Africa without having entry or departure days stamped on their passports. The permits grant lawful status until their expiry date, and holders are explicitly protected from arrest or deportation under South Africa’s Immigration Act .
Under Ministerial Directive No. 20 of 2025, ZEP holders are deemed valid until 28 May 2027 and “may be allowed to enter into or depart from the Republic of South Africa… provided that he or she complies with all other requirements for entry into and departure from the Republic, save for the reason of not having a valid visa endorsed in his or her passport” .
The directive further states that “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 for any reason related to him or her not having any valid exemption certificate” .
Yet, sources on the ground suggest that a combination of ignorance among some law enforcement officials and systematic corruption continues to leave ZEP holders vulnerable to harassment, intimidation, and illegal detention.
Victims are often pressured into paying bribes to secure their release rather than asserting their legal rights.
At the time of publication, several other ZEP holders remain detained at Rabie Ridge Police Station on the same grounds, despite their status being fully legal under South African law.
The Zimbabwean community in South Africa has expressed shock and anger at the incident, with calls mounting for the South African Police Service (SAPS) to investigate the assault and for the Department of Home Affairs to issue clear guidance to all law enforcement officials on the rights of ZEP holders.
Zim GBC News correspondent has reached out to the Consulate General of Zimbabwe in Johannesburg for comment.
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