MANKWENG, LIMPOPO — The Mankweng police station has transformed into an impromptu sanctuary for dozens of Zimbabwean migrants and undocumented foreign nationals fleeing the threat of anti-foreigner protests sweeping through Limpopo. Seeking protection from looming demonstrations, the vulnerable group has been camped outside the facility for four days, awaiting safe passage back to their home country.
Since June 26, the displaced individuals—comprising men, women, and infants as young as two months old—have taken up residence near the station. They report being forced out of their homes in Pulkani, Noisu, and neighboring communities by landlords who feared their properties would be targeted during the anticipated June 30 marches.
Clever Zvitete, who is leading the stranded group, explained that the police precinct was chosen specifically for the security it offers against the hostile sentiment. “We just trust it’s where we can get safety due to the threat of 30 June,” Zvitete noted. Fortunately, the standoff is moving toward a peaceful resolution. Zvitete confirmed that the Zimbabwean embassy is actively cooperating and facilitating their voluntary return.
According to the group’s leader, the embassy has dispatched multiple coaches from various parts of Limpopo to accommodate the stranded families. “We already received three buses, some are on the way,” Zvitete stated, adding that a total of six buses have already successfully ferried migrants back home, including three that departed from the Mokopane business center. Three additional buses were staged at the Mankweng station, ready to load the remaining migrants for the journey to the Beitbridge border post.
While the Mankweng situation remains peaceful, the broader province has experienced pockets of unrest. Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba, the Limpopo police spokesperson, detailed a massive deployment of law enforcement resources to manage the crisis. Police, private security firms, and the local taxi association have formed a multi-disciplinary task team to police the anti-immigrant demonstrations and safeguard both legal and undocumented residents.
Brigadier Mashaba confirmed that the province is largely calm but highlighted several swift police interventions to curb violence. In the Sekhukhune district, officers arrested five individuals connected to overnight looting at spaza shops. The charges against them include inciting violence (one suspect), business burglary (three suspects), and possession of suspected stolen goods (one suspect).
Unrest also flared briefly in Phalaborwa and Lephalale, where mobs attempted to forcefully remove undocumented immigrants from an informal settlement. Brigadier Mashaba emphasized that rapid police deployment prevented the situations from escalating, keeping the areas relatively calm. Furthermore, in the Mokopane district, authorities busted a farm owner who was illegally harboring 15 undocumented foreign nationals in his yard for labor. The farmer and the workers were arrested for contraventions and are slated to appear before the local Magistrate’s Court.
Back at the Mankweng police station, Brigadier Mashaba assured that no violent incidents have been reported in the immediate vicinity. However, authorities have erected cordons around the precinct to physically separate the sheltering Zimbabweans from the local Mankweng community. This strategic buffer was implemented after intelligence indicated that a protest march was planned to originate in Matiba, move through the local mall, and converge directly on both the police station and the Mankweng Magistrate’s Court.
With law enforcement maintaining a heavy footprint, authorities remain focused on ensuring the safe repatriation of the migrants while neutralizing the threat of the planned marches.