Seventy-two Zimbabweans and one body have been brought back from South Africa following the recent xenophobic attacks which rocked Johannesburg and Pretoria.
47 adults and 25 children volunteered to be repatriated back to Zimbabwe. One of the victims told ZBC News that the situation in South Africa had deteriorated badly and would not consider going back to that country.
Beitbridge District Administrator, Sikhangezile Mafu said that the government will ensure that returnees will get assistance. She said:
We are working with other ministries to ensure that these people get to their respective homes safe and as such, the government has put in place all the logistics to ensure that they travel well, while those needing counselling are also supported together with those needing medication.
Conservative estimates put the number of Zimbabweans living in South Africa at 3 million. Following decades of economic decline, Zimbabweans have crossed the Limpopo River looking for greener pastures.
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