CAPE TOWN, WESTERN CAPE — The push for voluntary Zimbabwean repatriation in Cape Town has intensified significantly, with large crowds of foreign nationals converging on the country’s consulate to seek passage back home. This mass movement comes as anti-immigration demonstrations spread across South Africa, prompting many to flee their neighborhoods ahead of a strict June 30 compliance deadline.
The atmosphere outside the diplomatic mission has grown increasingly desperate. Since the early hours of the morning, families have been arriving from across the Western Cape, traveling from towns as distant as Robertson, Worcester, and Hermanus. A preliminary headcount at the scene recorded at least 120 adults, not including the numerous children present. Many of these individuals are abandoning their current communities out of fear of hostility, citing the escalating anti-foreigner sentiment and the looming end-of-month deadline. Those gathered are hoping to be transported back across the border as early as tonight or tomorrow.
This current gathering follows a recent wave of organized returns. Over the past weekend, a minimum of three buses were dispatched to transport migrants back to Zimbabwe. Before their departure, these individuals had temporarily taken shelter at a local church in Woodstock. There, they were officially processed by the Department of Home Affairs, the South African Police Service, and Zimbabwean government representatives. It was confirmed that approximately 200 of the individuals sent back last week were undocumented and lacked the necessary permits to remain in the country.
Despite the exodus of undocumented migrants, some Zimbabweans are choosing to remain legally. A spokesperson for the migrants, a Zimbabwean woman who was at the consulate to renew her passport, confirmed her intention to stay in South Africa because her documentation is fully in order.
Speaking on behalf of her peers, the spokesperson emphasized the importance of legal compliance, urging migrants to renew their passports before they expire so they can reside peacefully and lawfully. While she noted that the local residents of Cape Town have been exceptionally kind and that she has personally never experienced violence or unrest, she fully supports the decision of those choosing to leave. She expressed that individuals without legal papers—particularly those traveling with children—must return home to avoid living in constant fear, stating that those departing are simply following their hearts to do the right thing.