Online Reporter
ZIMBABWE is coping with the flood of over 75 000 citizens returning from South Africa after vigilante violence and threats, with President Mnangagwa making it clear that the Government will do its part and churches and communities must ensure the returnees are welcomed with warmth and kindness.
So far, the Government has arranged transport to Beitbridge for at least 21 000 from South African towns where they were staying or seeking shelter, with the rest reaching the border using their own resources.
Once at the border, regardless of how they came, the Government offers practical support, starting with the Registrar-General’s staff making sure everyone has identity documents, issuing duplicates if these have been lost, and registering the births of children born out of the country, issuing the birth certificates they need to enter school and access other support.
The Government, backed by development partners, churches and aid groups makes sure the returnees have enough food to get home, and that other essential needs are met.
Then transport is arranged for each returning person and family to their home area, wherever that is, and special help given to those who have lost contact with their communities.
At the same time all returning children are guaranteed school places, even though it is the middle of the school year, and each child will be assessed by the head of the school they will attend to find the appropriate grade or form.
It is probable that most will have to drop back a year, because of the differences between South African and Zimbabwean syllabuses, but that will give a few months for catch-up lessons and gap filling.
In a weekend interview, the President emphasised that those returning were entitled to the same support and benefits as any other Zimbabwean.
He said the large group returning was not a problem; the Government was handling what it needed to do.
At the core was the fact that every Zimbabwean in the diaspora was welcome back home.
He was unconcerned that some in the diaspora, including some of those in South Africa, might have demonstrated outside Zimbabwean embassies and consulates.
As Zimbabweans they had the democratic right to express their grievances and should not worry about returning home.
In fact anyone in the diaspora who wanted to help resolve their grievances should come home and pitch in since there was little they could do in that line outside the country.
The President once again stressed that the anti-immigrant pressure came from small groups, not from the South African Government, which has made it clear all along that the vigilantes threatening foreigners are acting illegally.
As part of the stress on everyone welcoming the returnees coming back home, the President used his invitation to address Johane the 5th of Africa International Church Annual Convention so encourage churches to continue preaching the word of hospitality, love and care for one another by welcoming returnees with warm and kindness.
This is hardly revolutionary.
Most religions make it clear that hospitality should not be offered grudgingly with grumbling and muttering, but rather as an opportunity for their adherents to express their common humanity with their fellow humans.
Churches can be very helpful in helping both those who are returning and the communities they are rejoining to ensure that the reintegration of the returning Zimbabweans moves as quickly as possible and that within a short time no one will notice, let alone care, if someone in the community was a returnee.
This will be the true test of the success of all efforts, Government, community and church.
The other point that needs stressing is that many of those returning, at least among the adults, have acquired new skills while outside the country.
So a fair amount of the effort needed will be ensuring that they have an opportunity to use those skills to support themselves and their families, and incidentally to play their part in the growing Zimbabwean economy.
They need a warm welcome, so they know they have come home.
Many will need a little practical help and most will need to be shown the ropes.
But that will not take long and then they will be productive Zimbabweans living in their own country, paying their way and be part of our large national community.
