Hundreds more Zimbabwean workers have returned from South Africa following an upsurge in violence against foreigners that has seen dozens killed.
Foreign workers and foreign-owned businesses have been facing unprovoked attacks as young South Africans increasingly vent their frustration over unemployment and poverty.
The first batch of Zimbabweans fleeing xenophobic attacks in South Africa arrived at Zimbabwe’s Beitbridge Border Post with harrowing tales of how they narrowly escaped death and witnessed people being killed. Most of the 407 people, who arrived in a convoy of six luxury buses and a haulage truck supplied by the Zimbabwe Government, looked distraught and vowed never to return to South Africa.
In some cases, escapees said they were ‘sold out’ by South African neighbours they felt they had got along with for years. One man had to flee, leaving behind his South African wife and two children after watching his cousin being beheaded.
“On Tuesday last week, I watched my cousin Pepukai Museyi being beheaded by a group of rowdy Zulus armed with machetes, knifes, knobkerries and guns who were toyi-toying, singing songs denouncing foreigners,” he said, adding: “It seemed that the South African Police were laughing while my relative was being killed. We were only helped by the Metro Police who took us to a camp where other Zimbabweans were. As a result, I left my wife whose life I don’t fear for because she is South African. I fear for the lives of my children because these people were ruthless.”
Forty-six-year-old Daniel Sungai’s hand was injured as he blocked a knife wielded by rowdy South African gangsters.
“I ran for my life and mobilised other Zimbabweans so that we could fight back, but we were overpowered because they outnumbered us, so we ended up giving up and running back to Zimbabwe with our lives,” he said.
“I lost my money and cellphone during the scuffle. I will never return to that country again.”
Ms Margaret Dhambuza of Chiredzi said she fled her home after she was sold out by her neighbours.
“The South Africans were making rounds in the Chatsworth area of Durban hunting for foreigners to kill and when I heard about it, I took my two children and went to the highway where I was rescued by the police,” she said.
Welcoming the refugees, Minister of State for Matabeleland South, Cde Abednigo Ncube, said:
“As Government we were disturbed with the disturbances and were worried about the safety of our people. “We have been in constant touch with the South African Government on a regular basis to get the latest information on the attacks so that we could come up with a plan.
“We will try and solve the issue with the South African government and you can return once we are sure that you will be safe there.”
The repatriation of 360 more Zimbabweans displaced by the attacks was delayed yesterday after the South African Home Affairs department prioritised processing documents for Malawian nationals who also want to leave.
