From the Field: Zimbabweans in South Africa

We dove right into work just a few hours after arriving in South Africa (the jet lag is still with me five days later!), and it’s been one of the more interesting experiences that I’ve had. While there is no war in Zimbabwe, the government is very oppressive. Not only does it squash dissent, it is also in the process of destroying its own economy—it has the highest inflation rate in the world, and unemployment is at 80 percent. With things getting worse and food getting scarce, many people have no option but to leave the country in search of employment and a means of supporting their family.

The situation of Zimbabweans here is very politicized—many organizations want to declare this a refugee crisis with political tones, while more official sources say it’s just economic migration (like that between Mexico and the US). Some say there are only a few hundred thousand Zimbabweans here, while others put the number around three million. We even met a Zimbabwean presidential candidate in exile that put it at eight million, although the total population of Zimbabwe is only twelve million. The one thing that everyone can agree upon is that the number of Zimbabweans exiting the country is growing.

While we have seen a lot of evidence that many Zimbabweans in South Africa are finding work and seem to be scraping by, it does not make up for what has been lost. Teachers, architects, engineers, and all sorts of professionals are working as busboys, gardeners, and maids. We’re even seeing that Zimbabweans have to come to South Africa to do their shopping—there is no food on the shelves at home.

We were quite moved by a visit to the Central Methodist Church in downtown Johannesburg on Thursday. Over 1,200 Zimbabweans are currently living there—sleeping in hallways, offices, and even on the stairs. Tuberculosis is starting to spread because of the difficult living conditions, and the Pastor at the church is looking to get Doctors Without Borders into the facility (we met with them, and they plan to set up shop soon).

While we saw Zimbabweans that are getting by, it is clear that many are in desperate need of assistance. The Methodist Church may be the largest shelter like this, but the Pastor also told us that an Anglican Church nearby is starting to provide similar shelter to Zimbabweans, as is a Catholic Church in another part of town. The need is clearly growing.

The Pastor requires everyone who stays with him to either teach others, or to study under the tutelage of other residents. When we asked if he had enough teachers, he told us that in the group he had interviewed the previous night, a majority had formal teaching skills or advanced degrees that would allow them to teach—a clear sign that the middle classes are fleeing Zimbabwe.

While all Zimbabweans will clearly state that they are here for work, and that earning money to send home is the top priority, we also find that many people have equally compelling political reasons to leave.