Zimbabwe Plans For 1.4 Million Returnees As Questions Grow Over Migration Figures

By Staff Reporter
Zimbabwe says it is preparing for the possible return of up to 1.4 million citizens from South Africa, even as questions continue to swirl over official figures showing that nearly 100,000 Zimbabweans have already returned home.

The projection was made during this week’s post-Cabinet briefing, where ministers outlined government plans to accommodate increasing numbers of returnees.

Government Preparing For Bigger Wave Of Returnees
Speaking after Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting, Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe said authorities were expanding preparations for a much larger influx.

Garwe said:

“We have in excess of about two million Zimbabweans in South Africa, and we are hoping maybe 70 percent of that two million is coming back home, so we are very ready to receive them.”

If realised, the projection would see around 1.4 million Zimbabweans returning from South Africa.

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Zhemu Soda also said government had already assisted thousands of citizens.


“The nation is informed that through collaborative efforts, the Inter-Ministerial Committee and development partners facilitated the return of 99,418 citizens between 28 May and 10 July, 2026.”

He added that women and children accounted for more than 70% of those who had returned.

Different Figures Spark Debate
The government’s latest figures have drawn attention after South Africa recently announced that 53,449 foreign nationals had been processed for deportation and repatriation over a similar period.


Migration stakeholders say the two countries appear to be measuring different categories of travellers, with Zimbabwe’s figures including voluntary returnees while South Africa’s statistics relate mainly to immigration enforcement processes.

Zimbabwe Community in South Africa chairperson Ngqabutho Nicholas Mabhena questioned the government’s figures.


“Their numbers are not accurate because the number of people repatriated is around 2,000. The rest are just travelling as they normally do.”

He called for Zimbabwe and South Africa to publish harmonised migration data to provide a clearer picture of the movement of people across the border.

Focus Turns To Reintegration
Foreign Affairs Minister Amon Murwira said Zimbabwe’s repatriation programme is coordinated between officials based in South Africa and authorities at Beitbridge.

As government prepares for the possibility of significantly more returnees, attention is likely to remain on how migration figures are calculated and whether the projected increase materialises in the coming weeks.

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Zimbabwe says it is preparing for as many as 1.4 million citizens to return from South Africa. But as government ramps up preparations, differing migration figures from the two countries are raising fresh questions.