Fears of new outbreaks of xenophobic violence and uncertainty surrounding the status of undocumented foreigners continue to drive hundreds of Mozambicans to return home, at a time when anti-immigration protests are taking place in several cities across South Africa, according to the Agência de Informação de Moçambique..
According to the agency, at the Ressano Garcia border crossing in Maputo Province, the number of Mozambican citizens entering the country remains high. Data from the Provincial Migration Directorate indicate that, in the last 24 hours, more than 6,000 border crossings were recorded, including 3,439 entries on June 29, of which 3,205 were Mozambican citizens and 234 were foreign nationals.
Many of the returnees say they left their homes, jobs, and possessions out of fear that the protests would escalate into acts of violence, especially after anti-immigration groups set June 30 as the deadline for undocumented foreigners to leave the country.
In the early hours of Tuesday (June 30), at least 24 Mozambicans entered the country illegally because they did not have valid travel documents. During the same period, authorities deported 210 citizens for illegal immigration—187 men and 23 women—and on Monday (29), they repatriated 61 Malawian citizens.
Among those who have returned is Armando Macuácua, a resident of Johannesburg, who decided to bring his trip forward. “We came because we heard about the protests and the tense atmosphere. We preferred to return while it’s still possible to travel safely,” he said.
Virgínia Mondlane also returned to Mozambique after living in South Africa for 22 years. “I left with just my family. We left our home and our belongings behind because the situation no longer felt safe,” she lamented, appealing to President Daniel Chapo to strengthen dialogue with South African authorities and find solutions to regularize the immigration status of Mozambicans in that country.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Maria Manuela Lucas, assured that the government maintains constant contact with Pretoria to ensure that citizens affected by the wave of xenophobia can return to Mozambique with their possessions and belongings, given that many of them have lived and worked in South Africa for several years.
The protests are being organized by groups advocating for the expulsion of undocumented foreigners, citing impacts on employment, crime, and public services. As the demonstrations continue, families keep arriving in Ressano Garcia, leaving behind years of work and their possessions, seeking a safe haven in Mozambique.
