MANKWENG, Limpopo — The humanitarian and logistical crisis surrounding Zimbabwean migrants stranded in Mankweng has escalated, leaving approximately 400 displaced individuals and transport operators camped outside a local police station. Following the abrupt closure of the Musina repatriation facility just last week, these vulnerable groups are urgently appealing to both South African and Zimbabwean authorities for intervention, safe passage, and the logistical support needed to return home.
The sudden influx at the Mankweng police station, located east of Polokwane, is largely driven by recent government proposals targeting undocumented foreign nationals. Under the proposed regulations, landlords and employers found hosting or hiring undocumented migrants face severe financial penalties. Fines are structured at R1,000 for first-time offenders, R2,000 for repeat offenses, and up to R1 million for multiple convictions. Consequently, many migrants have been evicted from their rental accommodations by fearful landlords, forcing them into the open.
For the past three weeks, the makeshift camp has grown to include highly vulnerable demographics, including young children, women, and the elderly. Herbert Masimba, a Zimbabwean national acting as a voice for the camp, highlighted the dire living conditions, noting a severe lack of basic sanitation such as toilets.
According to Masimba, many migrants delayed seeking official repatriation assistance because they were waiting to collect their final wages from informal employment to fund a fresh start back home. He also pointed out that the group was given misleading information regarding the transport of their personal belongings. Specifically, migrants were told that trucks required a 50% upfront payment to cover fuel and logistics, but the funds and coordination have since stalled, leaving their goods—and the people—behind.
The situation is further complicated by a massive logistical bottleneck. Piles of personal goods and cargo currently block parts of the road outside the station, with migrants resorting to cooking and bathing in the open spaces around the police precinct.
Tendency Gawa, a truck driver who has been stuck at the site for over two weeks with a fully loaded vehicle, explained that the standoff stems from miscommunication between government-contracted brokers and the transporters.
“The brokers initially promised that we would be fully paid before leaving South Africa,” Gawa explained. “However, the information was later changed, and we were told payment would only be processed once we arrived in Zimbabwe.”
Gawa emphasized that transport operators require upfront capital to cover essential travel expenses, including fuel and toll fees for the journey through Beitbridge. Without these funds, the trucks cannot move. The freight operators are currently tasked with moving the belongings of both the migrants currently camping at the station and those who have already returned to Zimbabwe.
With the Musina repatriation center officially closed after initially being scaled down, a critical vacuum in assistance has emerged. Both the stranded nationals and the transport operators are now calling on the Zimbabwean government to urgently resolve the broker payment disputes and facilitate a safe, organized return for all affected parties.