Zimbabweans seek urgent repatriation in Cape Town as anti-immigrant deadline looms

CAPE TOWN, June 27 — More than 500 Zimbabweans have gathered outside their country’s consulate in Cape Town seeking government-assisted repatriation, as fears grow over anti-immigrant demonstrations planned for June 30 that have prompted many foreign nationals to seek to leave South Africa.

Anti-immigrant groups have set an unofficial June 30 deadline for undocumented foreign nationals to voluntarily leave the country, a call that has often been accompanied by threats of violence and physical assault directed at foreign nationals, regardless of their immigration status.

Families carrying plastic-wrapped suitcases crowded into the Zimbabwean Consulate and surrounding streets and a nearby park as the number of people continued to grow.

Some had initially slept on the pavement outside the consulate before moving into the consulate building as space became available. Buses periodically picked up some nationals for repatriation while more people continued to arrive.