Faith leaders and humanitarian workers have issued a joint statement on the repatriation of foreign nationals outside the Zimbabwean Consulate in Cape Town, warning of mounting human suffering on both sides of the debate as a threatened national shutdown looms at the end of the month.

The statement, issued by Inner City Churches and the RESPOND Network – a coalition of church denominations and Christian non-profits – calls for restraint, accountability and urgent institutional reform ahead of the 30 June deadline.

Mothers and children sleeping in the cold

Seven buses have so far carried people seeking voluntary repatriation, yet many more remain in the queue. The statement notes: “Till today, seven buses carried those seeking voluntary repatriation, and more are still waiting.”

Thousands of Malawians and Mozambicans have fled their homes and sought voluntary repatriation in recent weeks. Mothers and children are queuing and sleeping outside in the cold and rain of a Cape Town winter, sometimes for days.

The RESPOND Network coordinated directly with the Department of Home Affairs and the Zimbabwean Embassy to facilitate the process.

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The statement is unequivocal about the nature of the crisis: “what we are witnessing is not an abstraction or a political talking point. It is suffering; human suffering on both sides, the citizen and foreign national.”

A national emergency of youth unemployment

The statement is blunt on the root cause of unrest. It declares: “Youth unemployment in South Africa is a national emergency.” The targeted demographic is young people aged between 18 and 29 and their grievances are described as arising from 30 years of unmet promises.

The signatories nevertheless insist that the foundational African ethic of shared humanity cannot be set aside in the face of crisis. The statement is emphatic: “Ubuntu cannot be postponed.”

Accountability across the board

The joint statement reserves criticism for multiple parties. It expresses deep concern about inefficiencies and administrative failures at the Department of Home Affairs and calls out employers who hire undocumented workers without proper documentation for exploitation.

SADC and regional governments are criticised for not doing enough to foster peace, justice, economic opportunity and African solidarity. Police and law enforcement are called on to fulfill their constitutional responsibility, to maintain law and order and to protect residents from intimidation.

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The statement calls on all South Africans “to love our neighbour as ourselves.”

A call for repentance and renewal

Closing with a vision of a unified continent, the statement reads: “May this difficult moment become an opportunity not for division, but for repentance, reform, and renewed commitment to the dream of a peaceful and prosperous Africa, for Africa where children will no longer suffer the cycle of poverty and trauma. God Bless Africa!”

The statement ends with the prayer: “God bless Africa, guide her leaders, guard her children and give her peace.”

The joint statement was signed by Rev Sikawu Makubalo (Central Methodist Church), Rev Riaan de Villiers (Grote Kerk Cape Town) and Rev Annie Kirk (St George’s Cathedral Anglican Church).