Zimbabweans residing in neighbouring South Africa are living in fear of xenophobic attacks as they have become prime targets of a crackdown against suspected illegal immigrants in that country.
The crackdown is led by Operation Dudula and is supported by immigration officials where they raid businesses demanding identity documents from workers.
The Operation Dudula campaign is code-named: "Operation No Foreigner/No foreigners in non-critical skills jobs.”
Reports from South Africa indicate that the latest crackdown began in Polokwane on September 23, and has since spread to other provinces.
In Polokwane, local residents were reported to be in support of Operation Dudula, and assisting them in targeting houses where Zimbabweans are employed as maids and gardeners.
Operation Dudula members said the jobs, including that of security guards should be reserved solely for locals.
This is despite indications that unemployed youths in that country shunned housekeeping, security guard and other general hand jobs.
South African based Global Immigration and Legal Consultancy legal director, Gabriel Shumba, condemned the raids targeting mostly Zimbabweans as xenophobic.
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“I think the best way is for them to become proactive and creative in creating the space for the involvement of more South Africans in the economy,” Shumba said.
“In addition, they need to fight the scourge of racism and discrimination at the workplaces, which issue affects the majority of the black labour force.
"I know that this is just a pipe dream because it appears that their mandate is founded on Afrophobia and the negatives associated with it. We need unity on our continent, not hate."
Reports from South Africa indicate that black immigrants in that country are living in fear of xenophobic attacks fuelled by the anti-foreigner rhetoric by Operation Dudula members.
“The movement's top brass has been quite clear that protecting South African interests is their number one priority, not attacking outsiders,” a report in the South Africa media last week stated.
“While the demonstrations go on, the authorities should keep the public secure and prevent violence.”
Xenophobic attacks against black immigrants in that country are not new, and some victims that include Zimbabweans have been killed in cold blood.
There are no exact statistics of Zimbabweans living in South Africa legally and illegally, but estimates put the figure at over 1million.
According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), labour migration in Africa is largely intra-regional (80%) and mainly characterised by the migration of low-skilled workers.
The ILO noted that African migrants, asylum seekers and forcibly displaced persons often use the same migration routes.
