Cabinet says nearly 100,000 Zimbabweans repatriated from South Africa as internet traffic surges 57%
Cabinet says 99,418 Zimbabwean nationals were repatriated and reintegrated through Government and partner-supported efforts between 28 May and 10 July 2026, with more than 70% of returnees being women and children.
Other Cabinet Notes:
▪️ Cabinet says demand for repatriation and reintegration assistance continues to rise, with Government expanding support measures for returnees.
▪️ The First Lady, Auxillia Mnangagwa, donated 30 tonnes of rice, 20 tonnes of mealie-meal, more than 5,000 tracksuits, 1,500 diapers and 1,500 sanitary wear packs to the Beitbridge Repatriation Centre.
▪️ Government says over 191,000 patients have received healthcare at Beitbridge, while 870 children have been screened for malnutrition and 15 diarrhoea cases treated.
▪️ Security services will continue monitoring illegal border crossings, particularly around Beitbridge and Plumtree.
▪️ Cabinet says active mobile subscriptions increased 2.99%, while mobile penetration rose 1.5% during the first quarter of 2026.
▪️ Internet and data traffic grew 57.28%, driven by LTE and 5G expansion, increased smartphone use and platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and Netflix.
▪️ Zimbabwe now has 379 5G base stations, with additional LTE, 3G and 2G sites deployed during the quarter.
▪️ Fibre optic infrastructure expanded to more than 19,000km, while international bandwidth capacity increased 4.03%.
▪️ Cabinet says growing uptake of Starlink under the Presidential Internet Scheme is helping improve connectivity in underserved areas.
▪️ Government says the Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2026–2030 is increasing demand for high-capacity, low-latency digital infrastructure.
▪️ Cabinet approved Zimbabwe’s African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) National Programme of Action, with the official launch set for 16 July.
▪️ Cabinet approved the Radiation Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2026 to modernise radiation safety, strengthen nuclear security and align Zimbabwe with international obligations.
▪️ Cabinet approved cooperation agreements with Belarus on arts and culture, Qatar on youth programmes, and South Africa on higher education, arts, culture and heritage.
▪️ Zimbabwe will co-host the Global Africa Women’s Sustainability Conference in Victoria Falls in 2027.
▪️ Cabinet approved preparations to host the 25th COMESA Heads of State and Government Summit in Harare on 22 October 2026.
▪️ Cabinet approved Zimbabwe’s bid to host the YouthConnekt Africa Summit in 2027.