Zimbabwean Nationals Seek Refuge as Anti-Immigration Protests Trigger Mass Displacement in Polokwane

• Upcoming anti-immigration protests are causing mass displacement of foreign nationals in South Africa
• Over 600 Zimbabweans seek safety outside Mankweng Police Station amid rising fears of violence
• Zimbabwean government begins repatriation efforts as South African police warn against vigilantism

POLOKWANE, LIMPOPO—The March and March Movement's planned anti-immigration protests scheduled for Tuesday, 30 June 2026, have triggered a mass displacement of foreign nationals across South Africa, echoing past waves of xenophobic migration. In Polokwane, over 600 Zimbabwean nationals are currently camping outside the Mankweng Police Station.

According to MDN News, the group's representative, Clever Zvitete, said that dozens of undocumented people were forcibly removed from rental properties in Mamadimo Park, Seshego, and Mankweng after landlords feared facing penalties for housing illegal immigrants. The group has been sheltering at the station for several days, appealing for humanitarian aid, including food, transport, and necessities.

Zimbabweans flee to safety in Polokwane

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This preemptive mass displacement mirrors previous severe migration crises in South Africa. During the May 2008 xenophobic violence, more than 60,000 foreign nationals were displaced nationwide, forcing the government to set up temporary camps at police stations and community halls. Similarly, during the 2015 Durban and Johannesburg unrest, thousands sought refuge in transit camps before choosing repatriation.

Currently, the Zimbabwean government has already facilitated the repatriation of 274 nationals using buses over the weekend. Limpopo Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe has cautioned the public against acts of vigilantism or hate speech.

She stressed that law enforcement will act decisively against individuals inciting violence on social media or mobilising unlawful acts. Similar panic and repatriation demands are unfolding across the country, with hundreds of anxious foreign nationals seeking urgent transport at consulates and stations in Cape Town, Pretoria, and Johannesburg ahead of the June 30 deadline.

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Mass Voluntary Repatriation of Zimbabwean Nationals

In a related article, Briefly News reported that around 160 Zimbabwean nationals departed South Africa on buses from Daggafontein in Springs following a community-imposed deadline of 15 June 2026. The forced departures occurred amid rising national tensions and demonstrations led by groups like March and March against undocumented immigrants. Some individuals without official embassy processing also attempted to board the transport.

Source: Briefly News