300 Zimbabweans sleep outside former consulate in Joburg waiting for repatriation buses

Weekly protests by the South African vigilante group March and March across Gauteng have forced hundreds of foreign nationals, including Zimbabweans, to leave their homes, with more than 300 people now waiting to be repatriated from the former Zimbabwean Consulate in Bruma, Johannesburg.

Most of those sheltering at the former consulate premises are families from Pretoria, Johannesburg and Vereeniging. Piles of neatly wrapped furniture and luggage can be seen around the building as the displaced families wait for transport back to Zimbabwe.

The Zimbabwean government has stopped providing buses to repatriate displaced Zimbabweans, with civil society groups calling for urgent intervention to speed up the process.

Among those at the consulate is Simpiwe Ndlovu, a seven-month pregnant Zimbabwean woman from Esigodini, near Bulawayo. She was in her flat in Hillbrow in mid-August when a group of men, who were supporters of March and March, reportedly barged in and ordered her to leave.

Ndlovu pleaded to remain in the flat until after giving birth, but her landlord, who said he was under pressure, told her to leave.

Civil society organisations under the Siyafana Sonke Action Campaign have been providing food, medical supplies, hygiene products and other essentials to those staying at the former consulate.

Campaign representative Tessa Dooms said they became aware of the situation at the premises about a week and a half ago.

She said the Zimbabwean government had been providing buses regularly over the past few months.