Undocumented migrants are pleading for transport assistance to return to their home countries after a repatriation center in Cape Town closed [1, 2].
The situation highlights a growing humanitarian crisis as migrants, including many Zimbabweans, face threats and attacks while stranded without official support [2, 3].
Groups of undocumented immigrants have gathered at the Epping field in Cape Town [1, 4]. While some reports state that dozens are currently pleading for transport [1], other accounts indicate that thousands of migrants remain stranded outside the now-closed Epping Repatriation Centre [4].
Efforts to clear the area have seen limited success. More than 30 buses carrying undocumented immigrants have departed Cape Town in the past week [1]. However, the volume of people seeking to leave continues to grow.
The demand for repatriation is particularly high among Zimbabwean nationals. More than 300 Zimbabweans have requested repatriation services through the Cape Town consulate [2]. Many of these individuals were attempting to leave before a June 30 deadline [2].
Migrants remaining at the Epping site said they fear for their safety. The closure of the official repatriation site has left them exposed to potential violence and without a clear path to exit the country [1, 3].
Some non-governmental support has emerged during the crisis. The organization Gift of the Givers said it would not leave the repatriation site until the last migrants are safely home [5].
“Thousands of undocumented migrants remain stranded outside the Epping Repatriation Centre.”
The gap between the number of migrants requesting repatriation and the available transport capacity suggests a systemic failure in the closure process of the Epping center. With thousands potentially stranded and a specific deadline having passed in June, the reliance on NGOs like Gift of the Givers indicates that government infrastructure is currently insufficient to handle the scale of the migration outflow.
