Packed bags and personal belongings sit alongside families at the temporary voluntary repatriation centre in Epping, as thousands of Zimbabwean nationals wait for travel documents and buses to return home voluntarily.
Thousands of Zimbabwean nationals have been stranded at Cape Town's temporary repatriation centre since last week, awaiting their voluntary return home. As of Tuesday, June 30, transport shortages have forced families to endure cold and wet conditions while they wait for buses to take them back.
"We are asking our government to send us more buses because we are too many here," said a Zimbabwean mother at the Epping repatriation centre, who asked not to be identified.
"We are suffering with the kids. It is very cold. Everything is wet because of the weather. We need more buses to take us home."
The woman is among more than 2,000 Zimbabwean nationals gathered at the temporary facility after first assembling outside the Zimbabwean Consulate General last week, hoping to return home amid growing anti-immigrant demonstrations across South Africa.
