From the Field: Zimbabweans in South Africa

Many have been beaten or threatened by the police or army because of their views. In most countries, this would be sufficient for refugee status. The Methodist Pastor we spoke with said that two people he interviewed the previous night were victims of beatings, while another ten, out of a group of about twenty, had been told to leave the country or else.

But another twist develops—once you apply for asylum in South Africa, you cannot go back to Zimbabwe, or your visa will be revoked and you will be deported. And since most Zimbabweans still need to feed families back at home, they must travel home to bring goods. We’ve even met Zimbabweans who say they are afraid of the police when they go home; one gets warnings from the police saying they know when he is home. So it looks like South Africa will need to devise a better system to help Zimbabweans, so that they can live here safely and still help their families at home.

By Sean Garcia, who is working with Patrick Duplat as a part Refugees Internationals’ Southern Africa: Mission to Assess Humanitarian Response to Zimbabweans.

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