Online Reporter
Raymond Jaravaza, Sunday News Reporter
THE thought of being hunted down like an animal by members of anti-immigration vigilante groups demanding that he pack his bags and leave South Africa was all what Mr Loud Maseko needed to make a life-changing decision.
For a man who had spent more than 10 years working and living in Johannesburg, South Africa’s economic hub, deciding to leave the neighbouring country was not an easy choice.
Sunday News caught up with Mr Maseko after he disembarked from a bus that had travelled from South Africa during the week and he shared his thoughts on the events unfolding across the Limpopo River that are forcing many Zimbabweans to return home.
Thousands of foreign nationals, including Zimbabweans, have reportedly been displaced in several parts of South Africa following renewed anti-immigrant campaigns by pressure groups such as the “March and March” movement.
The groups have in recent weeks intensified calls for foreigners to leave South Africa, with some issuing threats that migrants should vacate the country by June 30 or face unspecified action.
The violence and intimidation have forced many migrants to flee their homes. Some are reportedly camping outside Department of Home Affairs offices seeking assistance, while others have taken refuge in mountains and isolated areas to escape attacks.
Videos circulating widely on social media show vigilante groups confronting suspected foreigners in cities such as Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban, demanding proof of immigration status. In some incidents, foreign nationals are seen being assaulted and humiliated.
“I have lived in Berea for the 10 years that I have been in South Africa and this is the first time that I have genuinely felt that I was in danger of being killed by anti-immigration groups. Anti-immigration groups have always been there but this time around they mean business. They want to make sure that foreigners leave South Africa through violence and intimidation.
“Making the decision to relocate home was not easy but at the end of the day my life is more important,” said Mr Maseko.
A carpenter by profession, Mr Maseko rejected claims by some South Africans that foreigners are taking jobs away from locals.
“A majority of Zimbabweans in South Africa are self-employed or do menial jobs that the locals shun, so it is not true that we are taking their jobs. The skills that I have cannot be taken away from me, so that is why I made the decision to come back home and start afresh in Bulawayo,” he said.
His family lives in Bulawayo and he has already made contingency plans for his furniture to be sent back home.
“I carried just a few bags with my clothes and work tools for the trip back home. My younger brother, who is also in Johannesburg, will make sure that all my furniture is brought to Bulawayo via malayitsha,” he said.
Asked about his plans for the future, Mr Maseko said he was determined to rebuild his life in Zimbabwe.
“For now I will look around Bulawayo to see where I can set up a carpentry workshop and start working to take care of my family. Zimbabweans are leaving South Africa in their numbers because it is no longer safe for foreigners to remain in cities such as Johannesburg and Durban,” he said.
Meanwhile, Harare-based content creator ShawtyZW, who moved back to Zimbabwe earlier this month after spending more than five years in South Africa, said she was taking the transition one day at a time.
“I have been receiving a lot of messages from people asking me how the move back to Zimbabwe has been so far since I returned from South Africa. Some are also asking whether the relocation back home is manageable or not. My honest answer is that everyone will have a different experience and that what works for one person may not work for another.
“It’s still early days for me for now. Some days are exciting, some days are overwhelming, and I’m still adjusting to a different way of life. But one thing I’ve learnt is that you shouldn’t rush to make big decisions because of pressure from other people. Do what feels right for you and relocate when you’re ready. For now, I am taking it one day at a time and trusting the process,” she wrote on social media.
A few days after relocating, she posted about her uncertainty over whether moving back home had been the right decision.
“Today I woke up thinking about how I’m going to survive in Zimbabwe. Not in a dramatic way, but in a very real way. A few days ago, I left South Africa and moved back home with no job, no clear plan and no idea what comes next. Now that the excitement of the move is settling, reality is starting to sink in.
“Bills won’t pay themselves. Life won’t pause while I figure things out. It’s scary but at the same time I know I can’t be the first person to start over. Every successful person was once in a position where they didn’t know what the next step would be.
“For now, my focus is on job hunting, staying positive, and trusting that this chapter will eventually make sense.”
The South African Government has, however, dismissed the actions of anti-immigration groups, insisting there is no official directive ordering foreign nationals to leave and reiterating that migrants’ rights remain protected under the country’s Constitution and international law.
South African authorities have condemned the actions, stressing that only authorised law enforcement officers have the legal mandate to verify a person’s immigration status.
