By A Correspondent
A disturbing video circulating on social media has sparked outrage after it showed a Zimbabwean woman being verbally attacked and chased off the streets of Pretoria, South Africa, by a group of local women.
The video, which is just under two minutes long, captures a tense and humiliating encounter. In it, several South African women can be heard shouting at the Zimbabwean national, accusing her of tarnishing their country’s image and blaming her for bringing poverty into their communities.
“We are tired of your poverty, go back to Zimbabwe and fix your problems with Mnangagwa,” one woman is heard yelling.
Another adds, “We don’t want to see you here in Pretoria again. Go back to Zimbabwe. When tourists come here, they think you are a South African woman. You are soiling our image.”
The visibly shaken Zimbabwean woman does not retaliate in the clip but is seen slowly backing away as the group continues to berate her.
The video has drawn strong reactions online, with human rights activists and members of the Zimbabwean diaspora condemning the harassment as xenophobic and inhumane. Some commentators noted the irony in blaming individual migrants for structural political and economic issues.
“This is a heartbreaking reminder of the hostility many Zimbabweans face while trying to survive outside their own collapsing economy,” said a Twitter user who shared the video. “Blaming ordinary people for decisions made by governments is both cruel and shortsighted.”
Zimbabwe has seen a wave of emigration in recent years, with many fleeing economic hardship, unemployment, and political repression under President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration. South Africa, due to its proximity and relatively better opportunities, has become a common destination.
However, tensions between locals and migrants have flared periodically, with accusations that foreign nationals are taking jobs, increasing crime, or contributing to the country’s social challenges—claims that are widely disputed and often unsubstantiated.
As the video continues to circulate, calls are growing for South African authorities to condemn the harassment and take steps to protect foreign nationals, while also urging Zimbabwean leadership to address the root causes of the exodus.
For many, the incident underscores a deeper, more painful question: Where can people turn when their own country is no longer a safe or viable home—and when those who should offer refuge greet them with scorn instead?