The clock is ticking for thousands of migrants in South Africa as a government-imposed deadline to regularise their status or face expulsion has triggered what aid agencies are calling a full-blown humanitarian crisis. With only days left before the cutoff, families are scrambling for documents, shelters are overflowing, and the British government has issued an urgent plea for restraint.
South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs set 31 March as the final date for undocumented migrants to apply for the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP) extension or risk deportation. The policy was originally designed to regularise Zimbabweans who fled economic collapse and political violence. But critics say the hardline approach has left many trapped in a bureaucratic nightmare.
“We are seeing people sleeping outside home affairs offices for days, some without food or water,” said Thandi Moyo, a spokesperson for the South African Migrant Rights Network. “There’s been no proper outreach. The poor are being punished, while the wealthy can buy their way through the system.”
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has warned that up to 200,000 people could be affected, including children born in South Africa who now face statelessness. In Johannesburg’s inner city, community kitchens have been set up to feed those who have lost jobs and homes due to the uncertainty.
Britain’s Foreign Office has issued a statement urging “all parties to ensure a humane and orderly process” and offering consular support for British nationals caught in the chaos. The UK’s ambassador to South Africa, Antony Phillipson, said London is monitoring the situation closely and “stands ready to assist where possible.”
But for many on the ground, words are not enough. “My children have only ever known South Africa. They speak Zulu better than Shona. Where are we supposed to go?” asked Grace Dube, a mother of three who has been living in the country for 15 years. Her family has been unable to secure the required documents due to backlogs and alleged corruption.
The crisis has laid bare deep tensions in a country already grappling with high unemployment and inequality. Some South Africans argue the government should prioritise its own citizens. “We have our own poor. Why should we carry everyone else?” said Sipho Zulu, a taxi driver in Soweto.
The deadline looms, and for thousands of families, the clock is running out. With no extension expected, the coming days could see mass deportations that separate parents from children and send people back to a country they fled years ago. Britain has called for calm, but on the streets of Johannesburg, calm is a luxury few can afford.
