By Nigel Pfunde
HARARE — The government has on Friday formally accepted a US$1 million donation from prominent businessman Dr Kudakwashe Tagwirei and his wife Sandra Tagwirei, to facilitate the emergency repatriation of 20 000 Zimbabwean nationals currently facing threats of xenophobic violence in South Africa.
The donation, channeled through the couple’s philanthropic arm,Bridging Gaps Foundation, has been hailed as a critical and timely intervention as the state intensifies efforts to secure the safety of its citizens.
In an official acknowledgement letter dated June 26 2026, the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, through the Department of Civil Protection expressed profound gratitude for the gesture, and saluted the urgency with which the foundation responded to the escalating crisis.
“The Government of Zimbabwe sincerely appreciates the Bridging Gaps Foundation’s timely response to the plight of our nationals caught up in the anti-migrant violence in South Africa,” the letter partly read.
The intervention comes at a period of heightened regional tension, with the donation set to provide a direct lifeline for thousands of Zimbabweans seeking a safe return home.
Government officials highlighted that the funding will play a pivotal role in strengthening the national humanitarian response, ensuring that displaced citizens are transported securely from affected areas in South Africa.
To expedite the repatriation exercise, the Ministry has requested that the Bridging Gaps Foundation finalize procurement procedures for a fleet of buses to be deployed for the mission.
“We have tasked the foundation with finalizing the logistics, including the handover of the fleet of buses,” said Chief Director of Civil Protection, P Nkomo who signed the acknowledgement on behalf of the Secretary for Local Government and Public Works.
The authorities have requested that the foundation provide a strategic deployment plan, detailing the distribution of buses between South African operation zones and the Beitbridge border post alongside the appointment of key coordinators to ensure the seamless execution of the mission.
The donation marks a significant boost to state-led contingency measures, of providing a secure, government sanctioned route for those caught in the crossfire of renewed attacks on foreign nationals across the border.
