Zimbabwe Exodus (2007)

In November 2007 I visited Southern Africa to make a series on the diaspora from Zimbabwe to South Africa. According an ICRC report that summer, 5000 people fled Zimbabwe every day because of the economical malaise. It started me thinking: how many days to count when the country is empty. Zimbabwe Exodus shows the journey of these people from Harare to Johannesburg, South Africa. The series Zimbabwe Exodus won a number of awards, including Dutch photojournalist of the year, a special recognition in the POYi World Understanding Award 2009, and was successfully used by the Human Rights Watch lobby to help bring about a change of asylum policy in South Africa towards Zimbabweans.

: Harare – Zimbabwe / 20-11-2007: ZANU-PF members destroyed the house of the Chimala family and killed two of their children because the family openly supported the MDC during the elections in 2002.

: Harare – Zimbabwe / 20-11-2007: An extended part of the Warrenpark Hills cemetery. Because of the economical malaise, causing food shortages and proper medical treatment, the dead rate has increased.

: Harare – Zimbabwe / 18-11-2007: Trough the economical malaise Zimbabwe is facing a massive water shortage, especially in the high density areas around Harare where most of the people are unemployed, such as the area of Tafara Mabvuku

: Bulawayo – Zimbabwe / 16-11-2007: Because of the economical malaise in Zimbabwe shops are empty such as this supermarket in Bulawayo.

: Harare – Zimbabwe /20-11-2007: A child is selling a bread on the black market near the shopping centre of Warrenpark.

: Harare – Zimbabwe / 21-11-2007: Patience (28) is living with her disabled husband in the high density area of Epworth outside Harare. She earns 3.000.000 Zimbabwean dollars a month (2 euro) with selling flowers in Mutare.

: Harare – Zimbabwe / 19-11-2007: Prophet Chasura is helping people in Budiriro 1 park. Because of the economical malaise,unemployment, shortages of food and medical treatment people consult a prophet for asking a blessing and help in this difficult time. With native speeches, consults of the spirits and self made medicines the people believe that the future will be better.

: Musina – Beitbridge / South Africa / 25-11-2007: Border jumpers who illegally cross the Limpopo river, the border between Zimbabwe and South Africa, near Maroi farm,10 km west of Beitbridge. The two boys Thabo Moyo (19) and Bongani Bumalo (18) are both from Bulawayo. They want to go to Johannesburg to find a job to sustain their family back home.

: Musina – Beitbridge / South Africa / 25-11-2007: Border jumpers who illegally cross the Limpopo river, the border between Zimbabwe and South Africa, near Maroi farm,10 km west of Beitbridge. The two boys Thabo Moyo (19) and Bongani Bumalo (18) are both from Bulawayo. They want to go to Johannesburg to find a job to sustain their family back home.

: Musina – Beitbridge / South Africa / 25-11-2007: Border jumpers who illegally cross the Limpopo river, the border between Zimbabwe and South Africa, near Maroi farm,10 km west of Beitbridge. The two boys Thabo Moyo (19) and Bongani Bumalo (18) are both from Bulawayo. They want to go to Johannesburg to find a job to sustain their family back home.

: Musina – Beitbridge / South Africa / 25-11-2007: Border jumpers who illegally cross the Limpopo river, the border between Zimbabwe and South Africa, near Maroi farm,10 km west of Beitbridge. The two boys Thabo Moyo (19) and Bongani Bumalo (18) are both from Bulawayo. They want to go to Johannesburg to find a job to sustain their family back home.

: Musina – Beitbridge / South Africa / 25-11-2007: Ephraim Maphosa (17) and Samuel Mutoko (24) met each other on their way to Johannesburg after they illegally crossed the border from Zimbabwe to South Africa. Ephraim ran into a group of Kumakumas, a group of bandits who rob and rape the border jumpers. While beating him, They took everything he was carrying, including his cloths.

: Musina – Beitbridge / South Africa / 25-11-2007: Ephraim Maphosa (17) and Samuel Mutoko (24) met each other on their way to Johannesburg after they illegally crossed the border from Zimbabwe to South Africa. Ephraim ran into a group of Kumakumas, a group of bandits who rob and rape the border jumpers. While beating him, They took everything he was carrying, including his cloths.

: Musina – Beitbridge / South Africa / 25-11-2007: Ephraim Maphosa (17) and Samuel Mutoko (24) met each other on their way to Johannesburg after they illegally crossed the border from Zimbabwe to South Africa. Ephraim ran into a group of Kumakumas, a group of bandits who rob and rape the border jumpers. While beating him, They took everything he was carrying, including his cloths.

: Pretoria / South Africa / 01-11-2007: Over 10000 refugees from Zimbabwe are queuing every Thursday and Friday at the Marabastad Refugee Reception Centre to apply for a South African visa. Because of administrative regulations and the huge amount of refugees from Zimbabwe some of these people waiting for months for their application. They live, cook and sleep in the open field near the ministry in the open field without any proper facilitation.

: Pretoria / South Africa / 01-11-2007: Over 10000 refugees from Zimbabwe are queuing every Thursday and Friday at the Marabastad Refugee Reception Centre to apply for a South African visa. Because of administrative regulations and the huge amount of refugees from Zimbabwe some of these people waiting for months for their application. They live, cook and sleep in the open field near the ministry in the open field without any proper facilitation.

: Johannesburg / South Africa / 06-11-2007: The front door of the Refugee Ministries Centre, a NGO in Johannesburg dealing with legal status of refugees in South Africa. Since the huge influx of Zimbabweans this NGO is not able to assist anymore.

: Johannesburg / South Africa / 06-11-2007: The Methodist church of South Africa, downtown Johannesburg, run by Bishop Paul Verryn is every night offering shelter for approximately 1500 refugees primarily from Zimbabwe. Besides giving a place to sleep, the church also providing daily activities, education and assists in medical health.

: Johannesburg / South Africa / 06-11-2007: The Methodist church of South Africa, downtown Johannesburg, run by Bishop Paul Verryn is every night offering shelter for approximately 1500 refugees primarily from Zimbabwe. Besides giving a place to sleep, the church also providing daily activities, education and assists in medical health.

: Johannesburg / South Africa / 06-11-2007: The illegal Zimbabwean worker Noah Masuka got beaten up with an iron bare and left behind 20 km outside Johannesburg by his employer because he was asked for his salary