Small groups of migrants continue to cross the Limpopo River along South Africa’s porous border with Zimbabwe, often bypassing official checkpoints with the help of smugglers. Using weathered wooden rafts and ropes, these individuals navigate the river’s crocodile-infested waters to enter South Africa undetected, disappearing quickly into surrounding thorn scrub before border patrol officers can intervene.
The official Beitbridge border post, located near this informal crossing point, is currently witnessing significant movement in the opposite direction, as thousands of foreign nationals flee South Africa amid ongoing anti-immigrant unrest. These migrants, many of whom come from Zimbabwe and other neighboring countries, face violence and protests targeting foreigners accused of taking jobs and resources away from local citizens. At least four foreign nationals have been confirmed killed in attacks linked to the unrest, according to South African police, although some governments repatriating their citizens report higher death tolls.
A repatriation center located approximately 20 kilometers from the border post has been established to process and house returning migrants. Since its opening, more than 21,000 people have been accommodated, but authorities describe the flow as a “moving target,” with arrivals frequently replacing those departing. Provincial home affairs chief Albert Matsaung stated that the center remains open indefinitely, reflecting the ongoing nature of the migration challenge.
Among those returning is Munyai Tungamirai, a 42-year-old Zimbabwean who paid smugglers $20 to be ferried across the Limpopo River in 2024 in search of work on an orange farm in Tzaneen, South Africa, located about 200 kilometers from the border. Tungamirai described the crossing as risky but necessary to provide for his family. Nonetheless, when anti-immigrant groups began targeting undocumented migrants, his employer urged him to leave, fearing labor inspections and vigilante raids. Tungamirai and his partner, Patricia Nhamo, are hopeful of returning to South Africa within a year, this time with proper documentation.
In contrast, some migrants like Leonard Moyo, who arrived in South Africa in 2010 and worked in construction, expressed a permanent desire to depart. Moyo, in his mid-twenties and father of two, likened the treatment of foreigners to apartheid and declared he would rather remain in Zimbabwe than return to South Africa.
Despite the steady outflow of migrants, border authorities acknowledge that irregular immigration remains a significant challenge. Since early June, over 46,000 migrants have been repatriated or deported through the Beitbridge crossing, with most being Malawian and Zimbabwean nationals, according to Michael Masiapato, commissioner of the Border Management Authority. Efforts to secure the border continue amid ongoing humanitarian and security concerns tied to both illegal crossings into South Africa and the mass departures prompted by anti-immigrant violence.