By A Correspondent
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter Themba Gorimbo has spoken out passionately about the hardships Zimbabweans face living outside their homeland—especially in South Africa—describing the current period as one of the most difficult for citizens forced into economic exile.
In a heartfelt statement shared on Friday, Gorimbo said many Zimbabweans living abroad do so not by choice, but by necessity.
“Most challenging time is now for being a Zimbabwean outside of Zimbabwe. Especially in SA,” he said.
Referring to the rising xenophobic tensions, discrimination, and socio-economic pressures in South Africa, Gorimbo acknowledged the painful truth that many Zimbabweans face a harsh dilemma: endure humiliation and hardship abroad, or return to even worse living conditions back home.
“The truth is there is no choice really for people from Zimbabwe. Going back home is something they really want to do and live there. However, the reality is they’d rather be treated badly in a country that may give them jobs instead of going back home to Zimbabwe and be in worse conditions.”
Gorimbo also took aim at the Zimbabwean elite, criticising the country’s economic disparities and political patronage system, which he believes forces ordinary citizens into cycles of poverty while the connected few flaunt their wealth.
“What’s worse is the Mbingas / zvigananda will flash their money into your faces and remind you of your poverty daily,” he wrote. “If you’re not connected to politicians or somewhere in the government, you have no decent way of living in our beloved country.”
The UFC fighter, known for his resilience both inside and outside the octagon, acknowledged that there are still some “rare cases” of honest living in Zimbabwe, but suggested that those examples are the exception rather than the rule.
“There is of course rare cases of really honest way of living in Zimbabwe but that’s a story for another day.”
In closing, Gorimbo offered a prayer of solidarity to fellow Zimbabweans struggling around the globe:
“God bless and protect all Zimbabweans vari kuzama zama mu South Africa and even anywhere in the world without a choice but be there.”
Gorimbo’s statement has resonated with many on social media, sparking conversations about migration, inequality, and the urgent need for change back home.