By Chantelle Muzanenhamo
“I thought I had escaped the June 30 march and the March protests because I stayed home when the demonstrations were taking place”
Those are the painful words of a Zimbabwean woman who recently returned from South Africa after fleeing what she described as as a growing wave of anti-migrant hostility.
For the Zimbabwean hairdresser, avoiding the anti-migrant marches that have swept across parts of South Africa seemed enough to keep her safe.
But weeks later, fear came knocking at her door.
As reports spread of nighttime raids targeting foreign nationals, the single woman packed a small bag and fled, abandoning almost everything she had worked three years to acquire.
“I left with only a small bag that was with me. I left my television set, my bed and everything I owned. I worked for three years saving money to buy those things,” she told Ziyah Media on condition of anonymity.
Her story reflects the growing desperation among thousands of Zimbabweans returning home amid escalating anti-migrant operations in South Africa.
The deteriorating situation was highlighted in a report presented to the Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, Monica Mutsvangwa, during her visit to the Beitbridge Reception Centre on Monday.
Presenting the report on behalf of the Department of Consular Services in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Mr Hillary Muhumbe said foreign nationals are increasingly becoming targets of organised anti-migrant groups.
“While conditions appear normal by day, targeted nighttime attacks are forcing foreign nationals to seek refuge at Consulates and South African Police camps,” read part of the report.
Muhumbe said anti-migrant groups have intensified their operations and are now conducting weekly marches and door-to-door searches in communities suspected of housing undocumented foreigners.
“The Anti-Migrant Groups are now conducting marches every Thursday, even conducting door-to-door searches to target illegal foreign nationals,” he said.
According to the report, Zimbabwean diplomatic missions are recording a sharp increase in the number of distressed nationals seeking assistance as vigilante groups force foreigners from their homes.
“Compared to last week, the Missions are seeing a surge in numbers, while local vigilante groups are forcing foreign nationals out of their accommodation. Detentions are escalating, leading Zimbabwean nationals in surrounding areas to seek consular assistance with zero personal belongings,” Muhumbe said.
The report further noted that anti-migrant groups are increasingly targeting small businesses operated by foreign nationals, including tuckshops, barber shops, spaza shops, cash-and-carry businesses, taxis and ride-hailing services.
For the anonymous returnee, the fear of becoming a target outweighed years of sacrifice and hard work.
“When people started talking about the night raids, I knew I could not stay. Everything happened so fast. One day you are working and trying to build a future, the next day you are running for your life,” she said.
Her testimony is one of many emerging from the Beitbridge Reception Centre, where returnees are arriving with little more than the clothes they are wearing after abandoning homes, businesses and personal belongings in South Africa.
As the number of returnees continues to rise, authorities face the challenge of helping thousands rebuild their lives after losing not only their livelihoods but also the sense of security they had worked years to establish.