ZIMBABWE has repatriated 996 citizens from South Africa since the start of June under an assisted voluntary return programme launched after a surge in xenophobic attacks.
The government-led initiative, backed by the International Organisation for Migration and UNICEF, is responding to anti-immigrant protests that have turned violent in Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng provinces.
Official figures show 696 Zimbabweans had been repatriated by June 15 – 405 adults and 291 accompanied children. Most were displaced from the three provinces.
Returnees are entering Zimbabwe through Beitbridge Border Post on buses hired by the government.
Zimbabwe’s Embassy in South Africa has deployed teams to affected areas and issued a safety advisory urging nationals to avoid violence hotspots, carry identification documents and report threats to police or the nearest Zimbabwean mission.
IOM Zimbabwe spokesperson Fadzai Nyamande-Pangeti said the agency has scaled up support at Beitbridge to include meals and onward transport to Harare, Gweru, Mutare and other inland destinations.
“These extended services complement ongoing support provided at points of entry and are part of a broader, coordinated response led by the Government of Zimbabwe,” Nyamande-Pangeti said.
At Beitbridge, returnees are processed through government-run reception facilities. Assistance includes registration, food and water, basic non-food items, health screening and referrals, psychosocial support, and information services.
“IOM is working closely with national authorities and humanitarian partners to monitor developments and adjust support in line with emerging needs,” Nyamande-Pangeti said.
Zimbabwe is among several African countries, including Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique and Nigeria, that have started voluntary emergency repatriation programmes for citizens affected by the latest unrest in South Africa.
