The Zimbabwean government says it is preparing for the possible return of up to 1.4 million citizens from South Africa as its repatriation programme gathers momentum amid rising anti-immigrant tensions across the neighbouring country.
Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe said more than two million Zimbabweans are believed to be living in South Africa, and the government hopes that around 70 percent of them will eventually return home.
Speaking during a post-Cabinet media briefing on Tuesday, Garwe said the repatriation exercise had accelerated significantly since it was launched in May.
“Zimbabwe has raised the bar in terms of repatriating people. Initially we were dealing with numbers around 700 to 1,500 people per day. We expect these numbers to increase, but we will not tire because these are Zimbabweans that are coming home,” Garwe said.
“We have got in excess of about two million Zimbabweans in South Africa and we are hoping 70 percent of that two million is coming home and we are ready to receive them.”
If realised, the projection would see about 1.4 million Zimbabweans return home, far exceeding the numbers recorded so far.
Information Minister Zhemu Soda told the same briefing that 99,418 Zimbabweans had already been repatriated between 28 May and 10 July through coordinated efforts involving government ministries and development partners.
“More than 70 percent of the returnees are women and children,” Soda said.
He added that authorities had observed a steady increase in the number of Zimbabweans seeking assistance to return home and had expanded measures to accommodate the growing demand.
The repatriation programme was launched on 28 May following escalating anti-immigrant protests in South Africa.
The campaign intensified after anti-immigration groups issued an unofficial 30 June deadline demanding that undocumented foreign nationals leave the country. Demonstrations in several areas were accompanied by incidents of violence targeting foreign nationals.
Zimbabwe’s response has been coordinated through an inter-ministerial taskforce operating a 24-hour command centre at the Beitbridge Reception Centre, where returning citizens are received, registered and assisted with transport to their destinations.
The programme has also received support from United Nations agencies and private sector partners.
South Africa has no official figure for the number of Zimbabwean nationals living within its borders.
In 2017, about 250,000 Zimbabweans registered under the country’s Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP) programme after Pretoria invited eligible migrants to regularise their stay.
Anti-immigrant sentiment in South Africa has intensified in recent months.
In January, members of Operation Dudula occupied a school and reportedly prevented foreign nationals from entering.
Armed anti-immigration demonstrations followed in May, with protesters demanding the removal of both documented and undocumented foreign nationals. Some groups reportedly questioned people about their nationality before attacking those believed to be foreigners.
The unrest prompted several African governments to organise voluntary evacuations of their citizens.
Nigeria, Ghana and Mozambique all announced repatriation programmes after attacks targeting their nationals, while Ethiopian migrants were among those killed during xenophobic violence in Johannesburg.
South African authorities have since said more than 50,000 foreign nationals have either been deported or voluntarily repatriated under a migration management programme introduced in response to the unrest.
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