Rachel Kolisi Reacts to Photos of Zimbabweans Waiting to Return Home Ahead of National Shutdown
- Rachel Kolisi reacts to photos of thousands of Zimbabweans seeking repatriation in Cape Town's cold rain
- Thousands of Zimbabweans queued for voluntary repatriation ahead of anti-immigration protests in South Africa
- Social media ignites debate on sympathy for immigrants versus struggles faced by South African citizens
PAY ATTENTION: You can now search for all your favourite news and topics on Briefly News.
Source: Instagram
Popular socialite Rachel Kolisi has reacted to photos of Zimbabweans seeking voluntary repatriation ahead of the anti-illegal immigration marches across South Africa. The images captured thousands of Zimbabweans queuing in cold, rainy weather outside the Zimbabwean Consulate in Cape Town as they sought voluntary repatriation.
The Zimbabweans who spent the night outside the Zimbabwean consulate in Cape Town were moved to the Home Affairs Repatriation Site in Epping on Sunday morning, 28 June 2026, as the City of Cape Town, in collaboration with the Department of Home Affairs and the Zimbabwean consulate, stepped up processing for those seeking to return home.
Rachel Kolisi heartbroken by photos of Zimbabweans
On Sunday, photographer Armand Hough shared several photos of thousands of Zimbabweans enduring the cold rain as they waited outside the consulate in Cape Town. He paired the photos with a heartfelt caption describing the difficult conditions faced by those waiting to board buses back to Zimbabwe ahead of the national shutdown. Part of the caption read:
PAY ATTENTION: stay informed and follow us on Google News!
“They stood in the cold rain, clutching everything they had. Some carried soaked blankets over their shoulders, hoping they would offer comfort on the difficult journey home. Many wore expressions of fear and uncertainty, unsure where they would sleep tomorrow or where their next meal would come from. For now, all they could do was trust the people standing beside them and find safety in numbers.”
See the post by clicking the link.
As South Africans reacted to the photos, philanthropist Rachel Kolisi joined the conversation. On Tuesday, 30 June 2026, the day of the national shutdown, the Falling Forward co-author reshared Armand Hough's post on her Instagram Stories, adding only a broken-heart emoji.
See the screenshot below:
Source: Instagram
SA reacts to photos of Zimbabweans waiting in the rain
In the comments section beneath Armand Hough’s post, the conversation on illegal immigrants continued.
Here are some of the comments:
hopesa_foundation said:
“Our government has failed us, and now people are struggling. Even innocent people 😢💔; illegal people must go home, and at the same time our humanity should never fail.”
ntwenhleinteriors fumed:
“I'm yet to see this sympathy towards South Africans living in shacks, their children struggling to find space in schools, struggling to find jobs they studied for. Posts like this to me are like seeing your family suffer and you're watching this for years, but you prefer extending a helping hand to a stranger. Logically, these posts will never make sense to me.”
zii_shellyb remarked:
“I wonder if their president sees these photos 😢”
Mmabatho Montsho criticises national shutdown
Meanwhile, Briefly News previously reported that Mmabatho Montsho weighed in on the planned anti-illegal immigration protests.
Read also
"Your humanity is seen": Cape Town ward councillor shares aftermath of repatriation efforts
She shared her views on X on Monday, 29 June 2026, ahead of the planned national shutdown scheduled for 30 June, sparking mixed reactions.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
Source: Briefly News
