ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL REPATRIATION AS SA BOY FOUND IN ZIMBABWE RETURNS HOME

By Cuma Pantshwa

• A young South African boy who has been missing for almost two years has been repatriated home from Zimbabwe.
• The child, who was just 11-years-old when he went missing, disappeared from home and boarded a bus to Zimbabwe in May 2023, where he was dropped off at the Zengeza police station in Harare.
• The Children’s Act mandates the Department of Social Development to repatriate South African children in distress in foreign countries, with the youngster being the 26th child to come home since 2015.

Little Mzi*, who boarded a bus to Zimbabwe in May 2023 and simply disappeared, has been repatriated to South Africa after an international search for him.

The child, who was just 11-years-old when he went missing, disappeared from home and boarded a bus to Zimbabwe in May 2023. He was then taken to Zengeza police station in Harare by the bus driver.

This set off a complex cross-border child protection case, with his disappearance becoming a matter of national concern, prompting the Department of Social Development to work tirelessly alongside Zimbabwe’s Department of Social Welfare to locate and return him home.

Unlike the previous cases where the Department of Social Development brought to South Africa children who were born in foreign prisons to mothers either servicing time or awaiting trial for drug trafficking, Mzi’s case has been a harrowing and complex case.

The young boy had different versions of how he arrived in Zimbabwe, it has been reported.

The department was notified of the case when the search for the little boy started, according to Acting Deputy Director-General Lumka Oliphant.

The Children’s Act

Repatriating a child is never simple.

The Children’s Act mandates the department to repatriate South African children in distress in foreign countries. The Department of Social Development plays a crucial role in ensuring the protection and care of children, including those in need of repatriation and reunification with their families.

Mzi is the 26th child to be repatriated from foreign countries since 2015, reaffirming the department’s commitment to safeguarding children.

The Zimbabwean social workers report indicates that the child is autistic, though further assessments will be conducted to determine the full extent of his needs.

“His condition may explain why he wandered off and why repatriation efforts faced such obstacles,” says (who?), a department social worker.

Bringing him back proved far from straightforward, with the social workers’ report confirming that multiple repatriation attempts failed as he repeatedly absconded from authorities, making an already challenging process even more difficult.

The breakthrough finally came on Wednesday, 5 February 2025, when Zimbabwean officials found him on the streets of Harare.

 In an urgent, coordinated effort, South Africa’s Integrated Social Services team intervened, ensuring he was safely escorted to the Beitbridge border the following day.

By 6 February 2025, Mzi had been placed in the care of Limpopo’s Department of Social Development, at Polokwane Welfare Complex.

Reunited with family

The next day, accompanied by his mother, maternal aunt, and a Gauteng social worker, Mzi made the final journey to Johannesburg, where he was finally reunited with his family.

“He started crying when he saw me and was saying a lot that I couldn’t understand because it was in Shona – he’s lost his Zulu (mother tongue) and now speaks Shona fluently,” says the boy’s 33-year-old mother, recalling the emotional moment of relief, comfort, and triumph.

Her child had “always been independent”, she shares.

He often walked home from preschool alone, as the school was not far. However, things changed when Mzi started primary school. He would disappear for hours and hours, often being found outside people’s gates, at police stations, or taken home by kind strangers.

When asked about this behaviour, his mother admitted it has been a confusing and painful journey.

Seated on the concrete veranda of his home in Alexandra, Gauteng, the small-framed shy looking boy plays quietly with his cousin and the two-year-old brother he has just met for the first time.

After nearly two years away Mzi is finally home, but his journey, and that of his family, is far from over.

“We thought he was just a seriously naughty child, and we would punish him and ground him from playing outside,” his mother says, recalling the many sleepless nights spent worrying about his safety.

“My ex-husband was quite strict, and he would give him a hiding whenever he disappeared from us.”

In several social workers’ assessments, Mzi reported being abused by his stepfather.

During his time in Zimbabwe, Mzi was placed in various Child and Youth Care Centres and alternative care facilities, but he absconded more than six times. His last disappearance was in July 2024.

Social workers also reported his tendency to wander, which may be related to the autism.                                                    He also gave multiple versions of his family story and how he ended up in Zimbabwe to the police and child welfare organisations.

Emotional reunion

Mzi’s mother remains filled with questions and frustration. She speaks with bitterness of the two-year ordeal, which left her feeling dismissed by officials, judged by friends and family, and even being threatened with arrest. “It has been traumatic”.

“The moment of reunion was deeply emotional,” says Lamlani Mthembele, one of the officials who accompanied Mzi’s mother to Limpopo. “When they saw each other, he cried, his mom was crying, and even though we couldn’t understand what he was saying in Shona, it felt like he was saying he was happy to be back home and that he would never leave his mother’s side again.”

While en route to Johannesburg, Mzi asked about his little sister, and when the mother video called the 9-year-old girl, he sobbed uncontrollably, Mthembele says.

Mzi now watches his mother constantly, not wanting to lose sight of her.

On Mzi’s diagnosis, the Gauteng social workers supporting Mzi’s mother will accompany her to Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital for further assessments, which his mother welcomes. “It will empower me. I will know what medication he needs and what school I need to send him to,” she says.

“I also want to get him a bracelet and investigate some type of tracker.”

The Department of Social Development extends its gratitude to the Zimbabwean Department of Social Welfare, the Limpopo Department of Social Development, the Gauteng Department of Social Development and all the organisations and people who played a role in ensuring the child’s safe return.

Mzi’s journey home has been long and painful, but it marks a new chapter in his life; one where he is surrounded by love, care, and the support he needs to heal.

The department will continue to provide the necessary psychosocial support to the young boy and his family to facilitate his reintegration and healing.

Ongoing support

Mzi’s mother confirms that social workers from the department, along with various stakeholders, have assured her that they will continue to provide comprehensive support to ensure his well-being, stability, and successful reintegration into his family and community.

The goal is to empower Mzi’s mother with the knowledge, resources, and support she needs to provide a stable and nurturing environment for her son. The department remains committed to walking this journey with them, ensuring that no family facing such challenges feels alone or unsupported.

Mzi’s return is a victory, but it also highlights the critical role that social services, government agencies, law enforcement officials, and society play in protecting and uplifting vulnerable children.

This story is also a reminder to all families, neighbours, and communities to remain vigilant and supportive of children in need – because every child like Mzi deserves to be safe, cared and loved, and given the chance to thrive.

* Not his real name