The
call
comes
at
a
time
of
heightened
anxiety
among
migrant
communities,
following
the
circulation
of
disturbing
videos
on
social
media
showing
foreign
nationals
harassed
and,
in
some
cases,
ordered
to
leave
parts
of
South
Africa.
The
unrest
has
once
again
placed
strain
on
relations
between
South
Africa
and
other
African
countries,
as
governments
grapple
with
protecting
their
citizens
abroad.
Nigerian
authorities
have
already
confirmed
that
at
least
130
of
their
nationals
have
registered
for
evacuation
following
the
latest
surge
in
tensions,
particularly
in
areas
such
as
Durban
in
KwaZulu-Natal.
Speaking
in
Parliament
on
Tuesday,
Gumede
raised
the
matter
as
one
of
urgent
national
importance,
highlighting
the
vulnerability
of
Zimbabweans
caught
in
the
unfolding
situation.
“Mr.
Speaker,
I
rise
on
a
matter
of
urgent
national
importance
concerning
the
welfare
of
Zimbabwean
citizens
currently
residing
in
South
Africa.
There
are
growing
reports
of
increased
hostility,
intensified
immigration
enforcement
and
worsening
conditions
for
undocumented
and
vulnerable
foreign
nationals,”
she
said.
“Many
Zimbabweans,
fearing
for
their
safety
and
livelihoods,
are
attempting
to
return
home
with
their
belongings.
However,
some
are
facing
significant
difficulties
and
delays
at
our
borders.”
Gumede
warned
the
situation
risks
leaving
Zimbabweans
stranded
between
two
countries,
unable
to
either
remain
safely
in
South
Africa
or
return
home
with
dignity.
“No
Zimbabwean
citizens
should
feel
stranded
between
two
countries,
unwanted
where
they
are
and
unable
to
return
home
with
dignity.
These
are
our
sons,
our
daughters,
our
mothers
and
our
fathers
who
seek
nothing
more
than
safety
and
humane
treatment,”
she
said.
The
Bulawayo
North
MP
urged
the
government,
through
the
Ministries
of
Home
Affairs
and
Cultural
Heritage,
Foreign
Affairs
and
International
Trade,
and
Public
Service,
Labour
and
Social
Welfare,
to
act
swiftly
in
coordinating
a
response
that
ensures
orderly
repatriation.
“I,
therefore,
call
upon
the
Government…
to
urgently
coordinate
efforts
to
ensure
the
safe,
orderly
and
dignified
return
of
our
citizens.
Measures
should
also
be
put
in
place
to
ease
border
processes
and
support
arrivals
in
an
orderly
manner,”
Gumede
said.
She
further
proposed
that
authorities
consider
temporary
executive
measures
to
support
returning
Zimbabweans,
particularly
those
without
formal
documentation
but
with
verifiable
residence
histories
in
South
Africa.
“This
would
allow,
for
example,
returning
residents,
particularly
those
without
formal
work
permits
but
with
verifiable
records
of
residence
in
South
Africa,
to
access
the
same
support
and
benefits
ordinarily
extended
to
returning
residents,”
she
added.
“The
measure
of
a
nation…
is
how
it
treats
its
citizens
in
moments
of
vulnerability.”
Responding
to
the
concerns,
the
Speaker
of
Parliament,
Jacob
Mudenda,
said
the
situation
was
already
receiving
attention
at
diplomatic
level,
with
Zimbabwe’s
ambassador
in
South
Africa
engaging
relevant
authorities.
“The
matter
is
under
the
direct
attention
of
our
Ambassador
in
South
Africa,
who
is
in
constant
touch
with
our
Ministry
of
Foreign
Affairs
and
International
Trade,
as
well
as
the
Ministry
of
Home
Affairs
and
Cultural
Heritage,”
the
Speaker
said.
He
also
urged
Members
of
Parliament
to
discourage
irregular
migration,
emphasising
the
importance
of
proper
documentation
when
crossing
borders.
“You
have
to
discourage
our
fellow
citizens
from
crossing
borders
illegally…
Nobody
will
stop
a
citizen
desiring
to
go
to
South
Africa…
provided
they
have
proper
documentation
and
they
will
pass
through
the
designated
official
crossing
borders,”
he
said.
The
latest
tensions
are
part
of
a
long-standing
pattern
of
xenophobic
violence
in
South
Africa,
often
linked
to
economic
hardship,
unemployment
and
perceptions
that
foreign
nationals
compete
with
locals
for
limited
opportunities.
While
South
African
authorities
have
repeatedly
condemned
such
attacks
and
pledged
to
uphold
the
rule
of
law,
migrant
communities
continue
to
express
concern
over
their
safety,
arguing
that
enforcement
and
protection
mechanisms
remain
insufficient.
Last
week,
Justice
Minister
Ziyambi
Ziyambi,
speaking
on
behalf
of
the
Minister
of
Foreign
Affairs
and
International
Trade,
told
senators
that
the
situation
was
not
new,
although
recent
demonstrations
had
been
largely
peaceful.
“The
situation
in
South
Africa
is
not
something
that
has
started
today.
The
fortunate
bit
is
that
the
demonstrations
that
happened
a
day
or
so
ago
were
largely
peaceful,”
he
said.
Ziyambi
noted
that
Zimbabwe
has
maintained
ongoing
diplomatic
engagement
with
South
Africa,
particularly
regarding
the
welfare
of
Zimbabweans
living
and
working
there
under
special
permit
arrangements
introduced
in
2010.
“As
a
country,
we
have
had
engagements
with
the
South
African
government
because
we
have
many
of
our
people
there
on
a
specific
permit,”
he
said.