Large numbers of foreign nationals continue to arrive at the Middelburg Long Distance Taxi Rank to leave the country. Hundreds of undocumented migrants have already been transported from South Africa, which started on June 30 and included families with children.
Some parents have expressed concerns about their children’s education being interrupted by the sudden move. The people gathered at the taxi rank include citizens from Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Malawi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with many deciding to leave after the March and March protest.
A man from the DRC, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Middelburg Observer that his father is South African and his mother is Congolese, but he now feels forced to leave.
“I was surprised when people turned against me and treated me badly. I decided to leave because I can see I am no longer welcome here. I have to go to my mother’s country, where I will be accepted and can live freely.”
The man revealed that he has lost contact with his sister, whom he lived with in Hlalamnandi, “I don’t know if my sister is safe or not. I don’t know if she went back home,” he said, noting that they last spoke on June 30 during the protest.
Local authorities and transport networks are continuing to manage the large groups of people looking to return to their home countries.
