South African boy repatriated after two-year ordeal in Zimbabwe

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The Department of Social Development has successfully repatriated a young South African boy from Zimbabwe, ending a nearly two-year-long ordeal, according to SA News.

The child, whose name is withheld for privacy reasons, was just 11 years old when he mysteriously boarded a bus to Zimbabwe in May 2023. He was later found at the Zengeza police station in Harare. His disappearance triggered a complex cross-border child protection case, with authorities working relentlessly to locate and return him home.

A Complex Search and Repatriation

The boy provided conflicting accounts of how he ended up in Zimbabwe, complicating efforts to track him. The Department of Social Development, in collaboration with Zimbabwe’s Department of Social Welfare, faced significant challenges in ensuring his safe return.

A social worker’s report from Zimbabwe indicated that he is autistic, though further assessments will determine the full extent of his condition. His neurodivergence may explain his tendency to wander and the difficulties in repatriation.

Despite multiple efforts, he repeatedly evaded authorities, delaying his return. However, a breakthrough came on 5 February 2025, when Zimbabwean officials found him on the streets of Harare. South Africa’s Integrated Social Services team quickly intervened, escorting him to the Beitbridge border the following day. By 6 February 2025, the Limpopo Department of Social Development placed him under its care at the Polokwane Welfare Complex.

Emotional Reunion and Future Support

On 7 February 2025, accompanied by his mother, maternal aunt, and a Gauteng social worker, the boy completed the final leg of his journey home to Johannesburg. After the repatriation, tears marked the emotional reunion as he embraced his mother for the first time in nearly two years.

“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,” the boy’s 33-year-old mother said.�

His mother described him as an independent child who frequently wandered off. His disappearances became more frequent after he started school, sometimes requiring police intervention. She admitted that before his diagnosis, she and his stepfather misinterpreted his behavior as disobedience.

Now back home, he is adjusting to life with his family, including meeting his younger brother for the first time. Social workers are assisting his mother with medical assessments and necessary interventions for his well-being.

The Department of Social Development has assured continued psychosocial support to facilitate his reintegration and emotional healing.

Authorities extended gratitude to Zimbabwe’s Department of Social Welfare, the Limpopo and Gauteng Social Development Departments, and all organisations involved in securing his safe return.