Zimbabwe prepares to receive up to 1.4 million land owners from SA

Zimbabwe has more than two million citizens living in South Africa, but fewer than 100,000 have so far returned home under the government's repatriation programme, despite rising anti-immigrant tensions in the neighbouring country, Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe said on Tuesday.

Speaking during a post-Cabinet media briefing, Garwe said the number of returnees had increased steadily since the programme began in May and government was preparing for significantly higher arrivals in the coming months.

"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," he added.

If realised, Garwe's projection would translate to approximately 1.4 million Zimbabweans returning home.

There are no official figures for the total number of Zimbabweans residing in South Africa, with estimates varying widely. However, in 2017, about 250,000 Zimbabweans registered under South Africa's Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP) programme after being invited to regularise their stay.

Providing an update on the ongoing repatriation programme, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Soda Zhemu said 99,418 Zimbabwean citizens had been repatriated between 28 May and 10 July through a coordinated government response involving development partners.

"More than 70 percent of the returnees are women and children," Zhemu said.

He added that government had observed a continued increase in the number of Zimbabweans requiring repatriation and reintegration assistance and had implemented additional measures to accommodate the growing demand.

The repatriation programme was launched on 28 May following heightened anti-immigrant protests in South Africa, where pressure groups issued an unofficial 30 June deadline for undocumented foreign nationals to leave the country. The protests have included demonstrations in several cities, with some incidents turning violent.

Zimbabwe's repatriation efforts are being supported by the private sector and United Nations agencies, while an inter-ministerial 24-hour command centre has been established at the Beitbridge Reception Centre to coordinate the reception, registration and transportation of returning citizens.

Government says it will continue strengthening reintegration programmes as more Zimbabweans make their way home from South Africa.