When Winniefred Kabiri boarded a flight from Johannesburg to Kampala, she was leaving behind much more than a country. The Ugandan entrepreneur had spent 20 years living legally in South Africa. During that time, she earned two university degrees and a postgraduate qualification, raised her children, and established several successful businesses. “Initially everything was very successful. I created a life for myself and educated my children,” Kabiri told DW.
However, as anti-foreigner campaigns intensified across parts of South Africa this year, she no longer felt safe. “There was always a threat,” she said. “But this year they gave ultimatums.”
Kabiri is among more than 1,100 Ugandans evacuated from South Africa by their government following months of escalating xenophobic tensions, protests, and intimidation targeting primarily African migrants. Uganda completed the first phase of its repatriation exercise in July, bringing home 1,102 nationals through six evacuation flights from Johannesburg.
Thousands leave S. Africa over threats of xenophobic attacks
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South Africa has experienced recurring outbreaks of xenophobic violence since the late 1990s, with migrants often scapegoated for unemployment, crime, and inadequate public services. Analysts suggest that persistent inequality and economic frustration continue to fuel anti-immigrant sentiment, despite evidence that migrants contribute significantly to local economies. This year, however, many migrants report that the atmosphere has become markedly more hostile.
Groups demanding stricter measures against migrants have organized public demonstrations and campaigns, while reports of intimidation, evictions, and sporadic violence have heightened fears within foreign communities. Many immigrants interviewed by DW expressed feeling vulnerable regardless of their legal documentation status.
Leaving Decades of Investment Behind
For many returnees like Kabiri, departure meant abandoning years of hard-won progress. She left behind businesses in commodities trading, mining, real estate, and perfume manufacturing, as well as a professional network built over two decades. “Obviously, when you are told to leave and you’re unprepared, you leave things behind,” she said.
Another Ugandan returnee, Mathias Baguma, described losing a business he had spent years developing in Johannesburg. Baguma moved to South Africa in 2017 and eventually invested in a guesthouse, restaurant, and retail operation. During the unrest, he says the property was attacked and looted.
“My business was vandalized. The shop was robbed, the restaurant broken into,” he told DW. “I had to run for my life.” Like many migrants across the continent, Baguma had viewed South Africa as a land of opportunity. Instead, he returned to Uganda with little more than his personal belongings and memories of the life he had built.
Rebuilding Life in Uganda Amidst Forced Displacement
Back in Uganda, the challenge for returnees has shifted from escaping violence to the necessity of rebuilding. Authorities stated that returning migrants are received at Entebbe airport and provided with orientation and reintegration programs, including counseling, health assessments, and information regarding government support initiatives.
Officials have also introduced returnees to various programs in agriculture, tourism, technology, and small-business development designed to help them restart their livelihoods.
Xenophobia in South Africa: Who’s really paying the price?
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DW correspondent Frank Yiga noted that the Ugandan government acted quickly to organize transportation, reception centers, and psychosocial support for those affected. “The government helped prepare them for reintegration and informed them of the opportunities available,” Yiga said.
Kabiri praised the initial response but acknowledged that rebuilding after 20 years abroad would be a monumental task. “I have to rebuild myself. I need to rebuild a new home and a business,” she said.
While she noted that family members have provided emotional support, the financial reality remains daunting. For now, her focus remains on forging a new future in Uganda. “East or West, home is best,” she concluded.
