LIMPOPO – At the Beitbridge border post, buses queue under the winter sun. Passengers wait on the pavement, some since dawn, others since the day before. They carry bags, children, and stories of fear.

They are part of a mass exodus of foreign nationals fleeing South Africa as the deadline set by the March and March movement takes effect.

25 000 have already left

According to the Border Management Authority (BMA), they have processed around 18 000 people, mainly Malawians and Zimbabweans.

Chairperson of the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structures (Natjoints), Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili, says the number of repatriated foreign nationals sits at around 25 000.

A foreign national’s viewpoint

A Zimbabwean domestic worker in Polokwane, who wishes to remain anonymous for her safety, told Review Online she feels a sting of betrayal.

“I used to catch a taxi full of women. They used to chat with me; we would laugh together, and we would talk about our day and our hardships.

“But since the negative sentiment about foreigners started, they won’t even greet me. They sneer at my ‘good morning’ or just ignore me.

“Since then, I don’t feel safe. I decided to start taking a bus instead. It costs more, there’s a longer waiting time and a longer journey, but at least I feel safer.”

Risking the journey to renew her passport

Just a day before the deadline, she made the risky trip to the border. She says she went to renew the days in her passport.

Amid fears of violence or being turned away, she says she had no other choice.

“They are arresting people with expired passports or those who did not renew their days. I can’t afford to have mine expire.”

Describing the atmosphere at the border, she said: “The situation is very tense. They are angry and cruel. As long as you have money, they will renew. I got my days.”

Despite this, she is afraid to leave her house, and her fear is not unfounded. 

“My friends who stay in Paledi are on their way home. Police are going door to door there; they may come here at any time.”

She also claims that foreign nationals in the area have been chased out and that many would have to seek shelter at the police station.

In the bleak winter nights, the difficulty of their circumstances is laid bare. “A lot of them have babies and children.”

Watch the current situation at the Mankweng police station

Clinton Clever Zvitete, a representative of displaced cross-border migrants from Zimbabwe, says group members have been outside the Mankweng Police Station since Friday. pic.twitter.com/eI08Zyw5iP

— Polokwane Observer (@PolokwaneObserv) June 30, 2026

Uncertain future in Zimbabwe

When asked how she feels about returning to Zimbabwe, uncertainty and a sense of loss are clear.

“I can’t imagine being home without work. I am so worried. The way I am living now is 10 times better than the situation I will be in August.”

Chaos at Beitbridge

Her own journey was a gamble. Others have not been so fortunate, and the journey home might be far from easy.

At the Beitbridge border post, many returnees have faced long delays, confusion and inadequate facilities. Some say the food they are surviving on is a single meal they brought with them, with nothing else available.

The BMA has acknowledged the challenges and says a temporary processing centre has been established in Musina to help streamline the process.

However, some buses have reportedly been turned away because they lacked the required Emergency Travel Certificates or cross-border permits.

What happens next?

For now, the numbers tell the story. Thousands are leaving the country, with Beitbridge serving as a primary exit point.

They are leaving behind homes, families, jobs and communities built over years, carrying with them an uncertain future and the hope of finding stability on the other side of the border.

June 30 is here. What happens next?