Home Affairs sets record straight on misleading reports on death of Wits PhD student from Zimbabwe

• Published date: 11 May 2022
• Publication title: South African Official News

The Department of Home Affairs has noted with deep concern a misleading News24 article published on 06 May 2022 and on other media platforms, including social media, under the headline, 'PhD student kills himself after failing to register for academic year after study permit expires'.

The department wishes to place the following facts on record:

This student was not an exemption holder commonly known as Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP). The ZEP is not applicable to him or his case whatsoever.

Even if he was the holder thereof, the Minister of Home Affairs has issued Directive No.1 of 2021 extending the validity of the exemptions granted to Zimbabwean nationals until 31 December 2022.

The Minister issued Directions gazetted on 28 September 2021 opening applications for visas under the Immigration Act, including study visas. The student was a holder of a study visa which expired in January 2022. Nothing prevented the said student from registering since September 2021.

Furthermore, there was no hurdle for...