Zimbabwe prepares to receive more than 1.4 million people returning from South Africa

Zimbabwe is preparing to receive a large wave of citizens returning from South Africa, after more than 100,000 people have already come home and authorities say a further 1.4 million or more are expected.

Scale of the return

Officials cited in reporting say the movements follow repatriations of undocumented and illegal foreign nationals from South Africa. The reporting states that tens of thousands of people from Ghana, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Malawi have already left South Africa, and that many more are waiting for help from their governments to return.

Zimbabwe government estimates

Zimbabwe’s Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe is quoted as estimating that “more than two million Zimbabweans are believed to be living in South Africa.” The reports say the government expects a significant portion of that population to come home.

On daily arrivals

Garwe is quoted saying:

“Initially we were dealing with numbers around 700 to 1,500 people per day. We expect these numbers to increase, but we will not tire because these are Zimbabweans that are coming home.”

The reporting also quotes Garwe as saying:

“We have got in excess of about two million Zimbabweans in South Africa and we are hoping 70 percent of that two million is coming home and we are ready to receive them.”

People waiting for assistance

The coverage notes that many migrants are waiting outside their countries’ embassies for assistance to return home.

Population context

The reports reference WorldOmeter for a figure on Zimbabwe’s population, stating it currently stands at 17.2 million people.

What authorities say next

Reporting indicates that Zimbabwean authorities are preparing to increase reception capacity and manage higher daily arrival numbers, though no further operational details were provided in the material reviewed.