South Africa’s lockdown has hit migrant Zimbabwean workers
in both the informal and formal sectors, with over 6 000 now seeking food aid
from organisations and their embassy.
While the South African government has special packages to
help its own citizens who have lost their incomes through the lockdown, many
migrant workers do not qualify because they do not have the necessary
immigration status.
The Zimbabwe Government through its embassy in Pretoria is
battling to help its nationals.
So far, over 1 200 people have been repatriated via
Beitbridge Border Post after the embassy managed to arrange buses and
negotiated with the South African authorities for the necessary travel permits
to move during the lockdown.Others are still registering with the embassy for various
needs.
It is however, not clear how many Zimbabweans are based in
South Africa, though 300 000 are there courtesy of the three-year Zimbabwe
Exemption permits which expire next year.
Thousands others are there under less formal arrangements,
either as visitors while indulging in cross-border trade or are in the informal
sector.
Zimbabwean Ambassador to South Africa Mr David Hamadziripi
said yesterday as of May 6, 2 680 Zimbabweans had registered for repatriation
while 4 172 had indicated they were in need of food.
“However, the figures are changing because, for one reason
or the other, some have decided not to register with the embassy,” said the
ambassador.
“This presents a difficult position to tell how many people
have own means to travel home and how many need help and at times some pretend
they have their own transport.
“In addition, you will note that the number of those who
have registered for repatriation is now less because some have returned to
Zimbabwe on their own.”
In a statement on Wednesday, Mr Hamadziripi said the
embassy had entered into partnership with Zimbabwean businessman Mr Justice
Maphosa of Bigtime Strategic Group who will fund the transportation of 400
countrymen by road via Beitbridge Border Post.
Unlike earlier groups, these are people who cannot afford
to pay their own fares.
He said the International Organisation for Migration (IOM)
and the United Nations Migration Agency had also offered the embassy technical
support and planning on carrying out a humanitarian support for distressed
Zimbabweans.
The Zimbabwe Community in South Africa, through
spokesperson Mr Bongani Mazwi Mkwananzi, said it had a data base with 1 235
people in need of food and that they had managed to assist 150.
They are now seeking other organisations to help support
the rest.
“If there is any organisation that comes forward intending
to assist, we will open another data based on available resources and
distributions will be done on first come first serve basis.”
He said those seeking repatriation were being directed to
the embassy through various platforms.
Director of Unity Zimbabwe, a non-governmental organisation
based in Gauteng province, Mr Boniface Maigueira, said he had registered over 1
000 compatriots for food assistance and that more were still coming forward.
“Last week we donated food packages to 400 people and we
are working on another package to cover 500 others.
“Most of these have their general upkeep affected because
they cannot go to work or are not formally employed and have to comply with the
ongoing lockdown guidelines,” said Mr Maigueira. Herald
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