CAPE TOWN – The ongoing Zimbabwean repatriation in Cape Town has become a source of deep frustration, leaving thousands of stranded nationals in severe limbo at the Epping refugee centre. Although seven buses successfully departed the previous evening, confusion continues to reign on the ground regarding how many transport vehicles will be dispatched next, prompting fierce criticism from civic leaders over the government’s handling of the crisis.
Many of the individuals sheltering at the facility have been waiting since the previous week, having fled rising anti-migrant hostility across South Africa. Despite earlier assurances from authorities that vulnerable groups—specifically women, children, and people with disabilities—would be fast-tracked, these demographics remain largely stuck in the crowds. Furthermore, the expected “first come, first serve” protocol has collapsed. Instead of boarding, desperate individuals are forming massive queues merely to collect bus allocation numbers, with no clear timeline for when the actual transport will arrive.
General Sithole, a prominent figure with the Civic Engagement Forum of Zimbabwe, traveled from Johannesburg to conduct direct fact-finding at the facility. After witnessing the chaotic scenes firsthand, he identified a triad of systemic failures driving the severe delays: a complete breakdown of crowd control, a critical shortage of consular personnel, and a continuous influx of new arrivals from other affected regions.
When pressed on the state’s readiness to handle the mass exodus, Sithole was unequivocal in his assessment, dismissing any notion that the government is prepared. He raised serious concerns that the officials currently deployed at the centre may not be accurately communicating the severity of the logistical challenges to authorities in Harare.
The Civic Engagement Forum is currently compiling its on-the-ground observations into a comprehensive report. Sithole noted that they will present actionable recommendations to the government. However, he warned that if the state remains unresponsive or incapable of managing the crisis, it must urgently seek assistance from non-governmental organizations and other external intervention bodies.
The humanitarian situation at the Epping facility is rapidly deteriorating. With winter temperatures dropping, the stranded crowds are exposed to harsh winds without adequate blankets. Children are reportedly falling ill with the flu, and there is a severe lack of medical attention on-site. Due to their precarious legal and logistical circumstances, the affected families are unable to seek treatment at local public hospitals.
Sithole issued a direct plea to the Zimbabwean government to immediately deploy additional consular staff to accelerate the processing of the crowds. He emphasized that the current lack of order and failure to prioritize the disabled and families with young children is unacceptable, insisting that the vulnerable nationals should not face further hardships due to administrative delays.
The bottleneck at the Epping centre is not exclusively affecting Zimbabweans. The facility is also sheltering nationals from Malawi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Like their Zimbabwean counterparts, these individuals are fleeing the same anti-foreigner sentiment in South Africa and are now waiting in the same chaotic conditions, hoping their respective embassies will step in to arrange their safe return home.