derick.khumalo
Sikhumbuzo Moyo
[email protected]
THE Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Mr Pfungwa Kunaka, on Friday toured the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa (UCCSA) transit centre in Njube, Bulawayo, where Zimbabweans returning from South Africa are being temporarily accommodated and assisted as Government scales up humanitarian support and reintegration efforts.
Mr Kunaka was taken on a guided tour of the facility to assess the conditions under which returnees are being received and the range of services being provided through a multi-sectoral response coordinated by Government, development partners and the church.
Speaking after the tour, Mr Kunaka said the Ministry was working closely with the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works through the Department of Civil Protection, as well as humanitarian partners, to ensure Zimbabweans affected by anti-migrant protests and rising xenophobic sentiments in South Africa receive comprehensive assistance upon returning home.
He said Government support begins at the Beitbridge Reception and Support Centre before returnees are transferred to the UCCSA transit centre in Bulawayo, where they receive further assistance ahead of reintegration into their communities.
“We are responsible for the reception of these migrants and ensuring that they receive essential support. We provide psychosocial services, food, water, sanitation and profile all returnees, including children, so that their specific needs are identified and addressed,” said Mr Kunaka.
He said particular attention was being given to vulnerable children, especially those arriving unaccompanied or separated from their families.
Mr Kunaka said social welfare officers carry out screening and health assessments before initiating family tracing and reunification processes.
“Where relatives or parents cannot be located, we provide alternative care support through registered children’s institutions or foster care while ensuring that every child receives the protection they deserve,” he said.
To minimise disruption to children’s education, Mr Kunaka said the Ministry was working closely with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to facilitate school enrolment for returning learners.
He said children whose parents or guardians had lost their livelihoods during the unrest in South Africa and could no longer afford school fees would be assisted through the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM).
“We recognise that many families lost everything because of what happened. Through BEAM, we are ensuring that affected children are not denied access to education because of financial challenges,” he said.
Mr Kunaka said Government support extends beyond the transit centres through a structured reintegration programme.
He said social welfare officers conduct follow-up visits under the national case management system, while community child protection committees, traditional leaders and other local structures monitor the welfare of returnees to ensure they are successfully reintegrated into their communities.
Government has intensified support for Zimbabweans returning from South Africa, where anti-migrant protests have displaced many foreign nationals. Reception centres in Beitbridge and Bulawayo continue to provide temporary shelter, psychosocial support and other essential humanitarian services before returnees proceed to their respective homes.
Online Reporter