Two ZANU PF MPs met Zimbabweans in South Africa where they assured them that they are welcome back home should they fail to meet the requirements set by the South African government to remain in the country.
The MPs, Pupurai Togarepi (Gutu South) and Stars Mathe (Nkayi South) who are attending Pan African Parliament committee meetings in South Africa met a group of Zimbabweans living in the neighbouring country.
In an interview with State media soon after the meeting, Togarepi, who is ZANU PF Chief Whip, said Zimbabweans are welcome home if they are told to leave. He said:
First things first. All Zimbabweans are welcome home anytime. They are free to come back to their country, where they are loved, where opportunities are there, and where they will live in peace.
We cannot fight the laws of other countries, it’s good that our people are working here, earning incomes, and sending money back to their families.
But if the laws of this land say Zimbabweans or foreigners should go back to their countries, we welcome them.
There are programmes and opportunities by the Second Republic. The skills they got here can be very important for the efforts we are putting on the ground to develop Zimbabwe.
So if any Zimbabweans in South Africa are told to leave, they should go home knowing they are welcome and leave happily for their motherland.
We are looking forward to receiving them and giving them support.
South Africa announced that the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP) special permits granted to Zimbabwean nationals more than 10 years ago will not be renewed beyond 31 December 2022.
The ZEP holders who fail to get other permits under South African immigration laws will have to leave the country voluntarily or be deported.
More: The Herald