Online Reporter
BY the weekend almost 40 000 Zimbabweans living in South Africa had returned home, calling it a day amid rising xenophobia in that country and threats to their lives.
More were still pouring across the border early this week to beat an unofficial and illegal deadline set by those organising demonstrations against foreigners.
The South African authorities have been protecting foreigners facing xenophobic protests, but still need to check on those returning to their home countries to make sure that they are not wanted suspects in criminal acts and do not have legal cases pending against them.
While this is causing some delays, the Zimbabwean Government, as part of its own major efforts to help our citizens, is in talks with the South Africans to see if that final profiling cannot be moved to Beitbridge.
This should be possible since South African police and court records are now on databases so it does not really matter where the profiling takes place.
Meanwhile, the Government, as part of its initial efforts, has beefed up the staff at the Zimbabwean consulates in South Africa so they can handle the extra work with minimal delays, and has deployed 48 buses to help move those who need help with transport.
Besides this group, those who have registered with the consulates and the embassy and are seeking help in South Africa, about 10 times as many, have been making their way to Beitbridge under their own steam.
President Mnangagwa has directed all branches of Government to facilitate the safe return of all Zimbabweans wishing to come home, and has made it clear that all of those returning must have a safe and dignified return and reception.
The President has also said those who need help after crossing the border must be given that assistance.
In some cases, this involves issuing duplicate civil documents, or even registering the children born to Zimbabweans in South Africa, so everyone can slot themselves back into Zimbabwean society with the least possible fuss. This includes, for instance, being able to do everything from buying a phone line, opening a mobile money or bank account, to registering their children in school.
Some of those coming home have been away for many years and may not even know where their relatives now live and may have lost their Zimbabwean base.
The Government has set up a tiered assistance programme that ranges from reuniting families to temporary accommodation in care centres while the needs of those returning are sorted out.
Those with some assets and resources are also getting practical help. They are generally allowed to bring in a car without paying duty, and paying reduced taxes if the car is more than four years old. They can bring in the tools of their trade and personal belongings freely, again if these are not brand new.
Obviously Zimra staff will want to check, and make those who should be paying some tax pay that tax, but we presume that this evaluation will be both fair and let pass the genuine cases with the minimum of fuss.
All returning children of school age are guaranteed school places, with each child individually assessed before being assigned a grade or form. Often, as education authorities have noted, the child may have to drop back a year to cope with the usually quite different syllabuses, but that gives them a bit of breathing space while they adapt to the Zimbabwean curriculum and a few months to fill vital gaps.
Those who have so far returned, either with Government help or on their own, are a sizeable percentage of the Zimbabweans living in South Africa.
Meanwhile, and the President’s directives are reinforcing this, every Zimbabwean is being treated as an important individual, not as some member of a herd, and each person and each family will be individually assisted within the systems already in place to help those who live in Zimbabwe.
Many, having been living in challenging circumstances in a foreign country, will have acquired useful skills that they apply back home for their own support and the national advantage.
