The situation in the border town of Musina in Limpopo remains desperate as thousands of undocumented migrants wait to be processed by the Department of Home Affairs after arriving at the Beitbridge Border Post in recent days, reports Review Online.

Many fled parts of South Africa amid fears of violence and xenophobic protests. They packed their belongings and travelled north to Musina to await repatriation to their home countries.

Mass movement from across SA

Large numbers of undocumented migrants from Zimbabwe and Malawi have been transported to Musina by bus from KZN, Gauteng, the Western Cape and parts of Limpopo.

In the Vhembe district, some foreign nationals were reportedly chased away by local communities. Several Zimbabwean nationals were temporarily accommodated at the Makhado Showgrounds in Louis Trichardt before being transferred to Musina.

Temporary centre offers some relief

A temporary repatriation centre established in Musina has brought some relief, with large accommodation tents erected and police and emergency personnel deployed to maintain order. The Department of Home Affairs has also deployed a mobile office to speed up processing.

Officials visit the site

Several government officials have visited the centre to assess the situation. Border management authority commissioner Dr Michael Masiapato visited the site on Tuesday (July 7) to oversee intensified operations at the border post, where officials are processing and coordinating the repatriation of high volumes of migrants. Authorities say about 12 000 undocumented migrants were repatriated over a five-day period.

Hunger and hardship

Meanwhile, many migrants have complained of hunger after spending several days waiting to be processed. Some have relied on relatives and friends for food, while humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers has distributed meals, blankets and other essential relief items.

One Zimbabwean migrant, Daniel Mudzorwa, said he had lived in South Africa for many years, working as a gardener in Durban. After his passport expired, he failed to renew it and became undocumented.

“I have children attending school in South Africa. I don’t know what will happen now because life in Zimbabwe is very difficult. My children may have to leave school,” he said.

Mudzorwa said he hopes to return to South Africa legally once he has obtained a new passport and the necessary travel documents.

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