South Africa Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has extended the validity of Zimbabwean Exemption Permits (ZEP) to 30 June next year.
The initial expiry date for the permits was 31 December.
This comes as only 6,000 out of an estimated 178,000 people have filed their papers for new visas.
In a statement, the Home Affairs Department said it considered recommendations by a special Departmental Advisory Committee (DAC) to extent the application period up to June next year.
The six-month reprieve will afford affected Zimbabweans another opportunity to apply for one or other visas provided for in the Immigration Act.
