Zimbabweans leave South Africa after anti-migrant violence
Al Jazeera reports nearly 21,300 Zimbabweans have been repatriated in five weeks, with another 56,800 returning on their own.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
2 min read
Thousands of Zimbabweans are going back home from South Africa after xenophobic violence, Al Jazeera reported on July 11, 2026. The movement matters because the reported returns include both government-organised repatriations and far larger numbers of people leaving on their own.
According to Al Jazeera, returnees have described being beaten, robbed and threatened by anti-migrant groups in South Africa. The report said nearly 21,300 Zimbabweans had been repatriated by the government over a five-week period.
Al Jazeera also reported that 56,800 more Zimbabweans had self-repatriated during the same period. The figures indicate that the departures are not limited to formal repatriation channels, with many people arranging their own return.
Accounts of violence and intimidation
Those returning have linked their departures to attacks and threats, according to Al Jazeera. The report described xenophobic violence in South Africa and said Zimbabweans had cited robbery and physical assaults among the reasons they left.
Al Jazeera attributed the threats to anti-migrant groups. The report did not give further details in the available account about where the incidents occurred or how authorities in South Africa responded.
The repatriation numbers reported by Al Jazeera cover five weeks. The separately reported self-repatriation figure is more than double the number moved through the government process, showing that many returnees were not waiting for official transport or assistance.
Large-scale return over weeks
The return of Zimbabweans comes amid reported hostility toward migrants in South Africa, Al Jazeera said. For those leaving, the immediate issue described in the report is safety after violence, theft and intimidation.
Al Jazeera framed the departures as a response to xenophobic violence rather than a routine migration flow. Its report said thousands had already gone back to Zimbabwe, with tens of thousands more counted among those who returned independently.
The reported figures put the number of Zimbabweans who have recently gone home at a scale that is significant for both the repatriation effort and the communities receiving returnees. Al Jazeera did not provide additional detail in the available account on what support awaited people after crossing back into Zimbabwe.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.