Zimbabweans returning from South Africa are facing serious economic difficulties as they try to rebuild their lives after fleeing anti-immigrant hostility and violence.
Samantha Chimbuya, 30, left Zimbabwe for South Africa in 2019 in search of better opportunities. She found employment and was able to provide food, healthcare and better educational opportunities for her two children.
However, she eventually stopped feeling safe in South Africa. As June 30 approached, a deadline announced by anti-immigrant activists for undocumented migrants to leave the country, Chimbuya packed her belongings and returned to Zimbabwe.
“It was not safe anymore. They were raiding our homes and warning us to leave. It was scary,” she said.
Chimbuya was living in KwaZulu-Natal when anti-immigrant protests intensified. Activists accused undocumented migrants of taking jobs and putting pressure on public services, although the South African government rejected the deadline and warned against intimidation and violence.
By July 28, about 116,670 Zimbabweans had returned from South Africa, according to Zimbabwean Information Minister Zhemu Soda. Of this number, 36,940 were assisted by the government, while 79,730 returned independently. Another 38,057 had registered for employment.
Difficulties After Returning Home
For Chimbuya, returning to Zimbabwe meant facing the same economic challenges that had forced her to leave in the first place.
She has struggled to find employment and now depends on family and friends for support. Her husband remains in South Africa, where he is also experiencing difficulties.
Chimbuya had hoped to receive a government grant to start a small business but said she had not received the assistance.
Reverend Useni Sibanda of the Zimbabwe Christian Alliance said many returnees had spent years abroad and were coming home without jobs, property or sufficient financial support.
“They are coming back to a country where there are no jobs and where the social support systems may not be enough to accommodate them,” Sibanda said.
The Zimbabwean government says it is working to support the returnees. Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe said authorities were profiling returnees to identify their skills and needs.
The government is also establishing reintegration centres, while authorities are considering recruiting qualified teachers among those who have returned. Companies are being encouraged to employ skilled returnees, while vocational training and assistance for aspiring entrepreneurs are also being considered.
Some Returnees Turn Skills Into Businesses
For some returnees, skills acquired in South Africa have provided an opportunity to rebuild their livelihoods.
Sidney Bunya, from Zvimba near Harare, left Zimbabwe in 2020 because of economic hardship. After working in Johannesburg and later Port Elizabeth, he learned professional carpentry and eventually secured major projects specialising in roof trusses.
However, groups demanding work permits began raiding his workplace in 2026. Since he only had a passport, employers became reluctant to hire him because of the harassment.
Bunya purchased carpentry equipment, sent it to Zimbabwe and returned home before the June 30 deadline. Using his savings, he established a carpentry business that now supports his family and employs five people.
“It was difficult to set up the business. But I am getting more jobs now,” he said.
Churches have also partnered with local businesses to provide training in areas such as welding, carpentry and computer science.
Calls for Long-Term Support
Churches have been assisting returnees with food, shelter and transportation, but officials and civil society groups say the needs remain overwhelming.
Ray Motsi, president of the Theological College of Zimbabwe, called for a deliberate government programme to reintegrate returnees, saying transportation back home was not enough.
Human rights activist Rashweat Mukundu also urged the government to provide longer-term support, including small grants, agricultural inputs and machinery, to help returnees establish sustainable livelihoods.
The main challenge, he said, was not simply bringing Zimbabweans back across the border but ensuring they could achieve economic stability once they returned.
One returnee said she hoped to open a grocery store but was struggling to secure the necessary funding.
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