Stranded Zimbabweans in South Africa ask to be repatriated, as lockdown hunger hits hard.
Stranded Zimbabweans asks to go home as lockdown hunger bites. While thousands of them work in hotels and restaurants which are unlikely to immediately open even when the lockdown is lifted, life is proving to be hard to the hardworking friends from the other side of Limpopo.
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced lockdown interventions which will be accessible by local South Africans only, leaving the foreign nationals community exposed.
Zimbabweans speak out as lockdown hunger strikes
“Things are not well here, this disease is making our lives harder by the day. We crossed Limpopo to work not to spend days in doors. It’s been long since I had a hot meal, here we leave hand to mouth, if we don’t work, we don’t eat. We just want to go home, life is hard in Zimbabwe but it’s better to be lockdown there because its home”, says Farai, who asked for his surname to be withheld.
Evidence a single mother revealed that her landlord is asking for full rentals which she is unlikely to get and is on the verge of being thrown out. “ I work at a restaurant as a contract worker, our salaries were stopped the first day of the lockdown, the cost of living is now hard for us. I plead with both governments to facilitate our movement, thousands of us left families and children in Zimbabwe. We want to be with them in these tough times. Staying here doing nothing is surely a complete waste of time, its eating up all our savings, we just want to leave and come back when companies open again,” she said.
Plans to repatriate Zimbabweans
The Zimbabwean consul general is compiling a list of people willing to be sent back to Zimbabwe.
In a statement earlier this month, the Zimbabwe Embassy in Pretoria outlined some of the conditions for those applying for voluntary repatriation: “The Embassy wishes to advise members of the community that the government of South Africa allows for the voluntary, orderly repatriation of foreign nationals to their countries of origin during the lockdown period.”
Zimbabwean Consul General Melody Chaurura revealed that they were compiling a list of people willing to be repatriated.
“We also urge our members to practise the spirit of ubuntu by spreading this offer to other members who may want to go home on voluntary repatriation. We encourage members with access to the internet and Facebook to help others,” said Chaurura.
Those returning to Zimbabwe were warned to prepare for compulsory quarantine for three weeks at in BeitBridge town at NSSA hotel.
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