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Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau

GOVERNMENT yesterday repatriated the second batch of 10 Zimbabweans who were affected by xenophobic attacks in the City of Ekurhuleni in Gauteng province.

They are part of 171 Zimbabweans who were caught up in the violence in Gauteng province alone.

On Thursday last week, the first batch of 29 children, 25 women and 23 men arrived in the country via Beitbridge in two buses.

They were also accompanied by a hearse carrying the body of Isaac Sithole (34), who was assaulted, stabbed and set alight by a South African mob.

Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to South Africa, Mr David Hamadziripi, said the group was part of the 171 Zimbabweans affected by disturbances in Ekurhuleni.

He said the Tsolo Hall in Katlegong where immigrants were seeking refuge had been closed with the situation normalising.

“The hall was closed yesterday (Tuesday) and the remaining group of 10 Zimbabweans were voluntarily repatriated home. They arrived in the country via Beitbridge Border Post at around 2AM and will be assisted further by the Government to get to their respective homes,” Mr Hamadziripi said.

Among those who were evacuated in a cross border bus were seven men and three women.

Upon arrival at Beitbridge Border post they were welcomed by the local Civil Protection Committee officials who took them to the Government run Reception and Support Centre.

The group was then assisted with post trauma counselling, medication, food hampers, food allowances and transport to their respective homes.

South Africa President Mr Cyril Ramaphosa has since apologised to Africa over the orgy of violence against immigrants.

Speaking during the State Funeral of the country’s founding father and former President, Cde Robert Mugabe, the South Africa head of state said the recent violence went against the spirit of oneness that was championed by pan-African stalwarts like Cde Mugabe and the late Nelson Mandela.

“I stand before you as fellow Africans to express my regret, and to apologise for what has happened in our country. What has happened in South Africa goes against the principles of the unity of African people that President Mugabe and President Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo and the great leaders of our continent stood for,” he said.

Mr Ramaphosa this week sent envoys to several heads of state and governments across Africa to deliver special solidarity messages.

The teams will visit Nigeria, Niger, Ghana, Senegal, Tanzania, Zambia and DR Congo.

The recent violence in South Africa has been widely condemned in many African countries and in some instances people have been looting or boycotting South African-owned businesses.

Xenophobic-motivated violence has been mainly driven by criminals in the neighbouring country and in 2008 over 6 000 foreigners were left displaced in South Africa.

In 2015, Zimbabwe evacuated 1500 of its citizens from Durban when xenophobia reared its ugly head in the populous Kwa-Zulu-Natal province.