Faced with intense anti-immigrant sentiment in South Africa, the Zimbabwean government announced that nearly 100,000 of its citizens have returned home since the end of May 2026. This wave of departures coincided with the looming unofficial 30 June deadline set by the anti-illegal migrant group March for undocumented foreigners to "self-deport".

Harare reported that over 70% of the returnees are women and children, all of whom undergo screening and profiling at the border. Health ministry officials, in collaboration with Doctors Without Borders and other partners, have been providing medical services at the Beitbridge transit centre.

The government has expanded its repatriation and reintegration programs to accommodate the rising number of Zimbabweans requiring assistance. These efforts involve multiple government ministries, civil society organizations, and United Nations agencies, offering transport, food, shelter, medical care, and access to education for returning families.

It is estimated that around two million Zimbabweans live in South Africa, with officials expecting more than half to leave. Additionally, Harare is assisting Malawians and Zambians transiting through Zimbabwe as they return to their home countries.

Sources