Zimbabwe Spends $4.8 Million on Returnees Fleeing South Africa Xenophobia

Treasury released US$4.8 million on Thursday to support Zimbabweans fleeing xenophobic attacks in South Africa, Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube announced during his mid-term budget review, iHarare and NewZimbabwe.com reported. More than 150,000 citizens have returned, abandoning their livelihoods amid escalating violence, creating an unprecedented strain on social services. The funds aim to facilitate safe return and reintegration, but the sudden influx strains already overburdened systems. The expenditure underscores the fiscal impact of regional instability on Harare’s stretched resources. The large-scale return poses a humanitarian and fiscal challenge, with potential for social unrest if reintegration fails. The government faces the challenge of absorbing returnees into a job-scarce economy.