WATCH | Fear and anxiety drive mass exodus of migrants out of Joburg

Fear and anxiety have gripped scores of migrants from neighbouring countries, driving them to camp outside their diplomatic mission offices in Joburg as they scramble to leave SA before Tuesday.

In the Johannesburg CBD, many foreign-owned businesses closed their doors on Sunday while others removed stock and furniture. At bus stations, migrants queued in numbers to leave the country ahead of the planned June 30 protest against undocumented foreign nationals.

Many said they feared becoming targets despite repeated assurances from the government.

One foreign national, who has decided to remain in SA despite the uncertainty, said fear has forced him into hiding.

“I am scared, but I cannot go back home with nothing to show for my time in SA. How will I survive if I return empty-handed? I need to make enough money to start something back home. Until then, I will hide.”

Outside the Zimbabwean consulate offices in Bruma, Johannesburg, on Sunday, hundreds of Zimbabwean nationals waited anxiously for buses home, loading suitcases, bags and belongings onto trailers while waiting for their names to be called from passenger lists.

Desperation was written on their faces, with many saying they no longer felt safe remaining in the country.

“They told us, ‘We don’t want your blood on our hands. You must leave’.”

—  Malawian national James Macki

One Zimbabwean national, who has lived in SA for two years, told Sowetan he arrived at the consulate on Saturday afternoon after deciding that being in the country was no longer worth risking his life.

“Three buses left at around 8pm, but my name was not on the list. As you can see, another bus is loading, but I’m still waiting. I am hopeful that by tonight all of us will be on the road back to Zimbabwe.”

He said he intends returning to SA once tensions have subsided because it is where he earns an income to support his family.

“Being in SA was nice until now that they are chasing us away and threatening to kill us. I just want to go home and be safe until everything settles. I will definitely come back because this is where I make money and take care of my family.”

James Macki is one of the Malawians who have been sleeping on the pavement outside the Malawian consulate waiting for assistance from authorities.

The father of three said he sends money to his wife in Malawi every month buy stock for the bicycle repair business he wants to reopen so he could continue providing for his family.

He said fear had forced him to abandon those plans.

Macki said people in the communities where many Malawians lived had warned them to leave before the planned anti-foreigner protests.

“They told us, ‘We don’t want your blood on our hands. You must leave.’

“That’s why we are scared and have come here to ask for help to return home.”

Ahmed Ismail, a representative of Ashraful Aid, said many had spent nights sleeping outdoors in freezing temperatures, creating serious health concerns.

“Our mobile clinic has treated people suffering from respiratory illnesses after sleeping in the cold. We have also attended to cardiac patients, including one person who was on the verge of suffering a heart attack.”

Verne Harris of the Nelson Mandela Foundation said June 30 was not some kind of legitimate “deadline”.

“It’s an arbitrary date that is being used by populists to mobilise people in very worrying ways.”

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Ugandan government announced that President Yoweri Museveni had directed that arrangements be made for the evacuation of Ugandan nationals from South Africa.

“Currently, 746 Ugandans have voluntarily registered and sought assistance for evacuation due to security and safety concerns, and more are expected to register,” the statement said.

Additional reporting by Michelle Banda

Sowetan