Matobo youths join growing migration wave amid rising unemployment

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Matobo District in Matabeleland South is feeling the sting of unemployment and economic stagnation, as scores of young people continue to leave their villages in search of better opportunities in cities and across the border in South Africa.

The trend mirrors a broader provincial pattern revealed in the latest International Organisation for Migration (IOM, 2025) Flow Monitoring Registry Report, which shows that Matabeleland South recorded the highest migration outflows in Zimbabwe accounting for 55% of all movements tracked nationally.

The report found that out of 34,135 recorded movements, 53% were male and 47% female, with most migrants (90%) being Zimbabwean nationals. Many were headed to Limpopo (63%) and Gauteng (33%) in South Africa, drawn by the hope of employment and improved livelihoods.

According to the IOM, the top reasons for migration included returning to existing jobs (21%), seeking livelihood opportunities (18%), family reunification (17%), and job searching (13%).

In Matobo, the situation is particularly dire for young people who face limited local opportunities. For Henrietta Ndlovu from Tshiphisane Village, Ward 8, migration was a painful but necessary decision after she lost her parents.

“I left home to go to South Africa because I had lost my parents, so I thought of going to look for work.

“I had never worked before. I arrived and worked in a restaurant for two years and later went into hairdressing,” she said.

However, Ndlovu said the dream of a better life quickly faded due to documentation challenges and tough living conditions.

“The problem I encountered was with my papers, so I ended up returning to Zimbabwe,” she said. “No, it wasn’t any better there. I have returned for good,” she said.

She believes the government could help stop the tide of migration by investing in rural job creation.

“If the government could cooperate with the people and create job opportunities for the youth, it could change the way young people migrate,” Ndlovu said.

Ward 7 Brunapeg Councillor in Matobo–Mangwe, Nehemiah Moyo, said the continued outflow of young people is tearing families apart and hollowing out the district’s social fabric.

“Many young people are leaving their homes to seek greener pastures in other countries due to lack of jobs,” said Moyo.

“This creates a major problem because they leave behind their children and partners. They leave for a long time and fail to get birth certificates for their children,” he said.

Moyo said while some community initiatives aim to empower youth through small projects, stronger partnerships are needed to provide sustainable livelihoods.

“It would be good for the government or NGOs to teach young people to create their own projects,” he said. “A new industry could also be established locally to provide jobs.”

He added that the emotional toll of migration is also evident.

“Some of the children who leave find it difficult to return. They face hardships and come back changed quiet and withdrawn. It’s painful for parents,” Moyo said.

The IOM report also noted that 14% of migrants rely on remittances from relatives abroad, mainly used for food and essential household needs. However, migration also exposes vulnerable groups to greater risks including 362 pregnant women, 214 unaccompanied children, and 88 people living with chronic illnesses who were recorded among recent migrants.