Former bus driver says Namibia delayed repatriation of undocumented citizens from South Africa
Former Namibian long-distance bus driver Semfried Shilongo, who was left permanently blind following a violent attack in South Africa, says the Namibian government should have acted sooner to repatriate citizens living in the neighbouring country without valid documentation.
Speaking about his ordeal, Shilongo said delays in assisting undocumented Namibians exposed many to unnecessary danger, particularly during periods of heightened anti-immigrant tensions in South Africa.”The Government of Namibia acted too late to bring back Namibians who were in South Africa without the necessary documents,” he said.
He warned that vulnerable Namibians could face serious risks if violence targeting undocumented foreign nationals escalates.”Many people may think this is a joke, but from my experience, if those groups decide to act, those people will be in danger.
The government was too late to repatriate Namibian citizens,” he said.Shilongo urged Namibians still living in South Africa, especially those without valid immigration documents, to take advantage of government-assisted voluntary repatriation programmes, saying the situation can change rapidly and without warning.While expressing concern over his experience, he stressed that his remarks should not be interpreted as a generalisation of all South Africans.”Not everyone in South Africa is bad.
The problem is that when some people decide to do something, they do not think twice,” he said.”Many South Africans claim they are friendly towards Namibians, but that is not always true. I am living proof of that. When some people decide to act against you, they do not care who you are.”His comments come amid renewed concerns over periodic outbreaks of anti-immigrant sentiment in South Africa, where undocumented foreign nationals have at times been targeted during protests and community unrest.
In recent months, the Namibian government has intensified efforts to facilitate the voluntary return of citizens living in South Africa without the required documentation. The initiative aims to ensure safe and orderly repatriation while reducing the risk of xenophobic violence and exploitation.
Shilongo believes those efforts should have been implemented much earlier to spare vulnerable Namibians from suffering.His life changed in September 2023 when he was attacked while working as a long-distance bus driver in Johannesburg. He sustained severe injuries during the assault, resulting in permanent blindness.
Following the incident, he was medically evacuated to Namibia for treatment. Unable to resume his career as a driver, Shilongo now depends on a disability grant as he adjusts to life after the attack.
