Zimbabwe has become the first stop in a broader regional diplomatic mission by South Africa’s traditional monarchs, as AmaZulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini and AmaMpondo King Ndamase Ndamase travel to Harare on Friday, July 10, 2026, for talks with President Emmerson Mnangagwa on the migration crisis gripping Southern Africa.
The visit comes weeks after anti-immigrant groups issued an unofficial deadline for undocumented migrants to leave South Africa, sparking nationwide protests and straining diplomatic ties across the region. Instead of leaving the response solely to political leaders, South Africa’s traditional monarchs have stepped in, arguing that communities across Southern Africa share ancestral bonds that long predate colonial borders and should not be undermined by today’s migration disputes.
Inkosi Malusi Zondi, the AmaZulu King’s representative and royal envoy, stressed the sensitivity of the discussions in comments to Independent Online (IOL).
“I cannot divulge the agenda of the meeting before it takes place, but I can assure the public that the issue of illegal immigration is on the agenda,” Zondi said.
King Ndamase, who chairs the Kings Forum of South Africa, reportedly requested an urgent meeting with Mnangagwa to discuss xenophobia, migration and the place of minority communities in Southern Africa. He argued that the crisis requires a coordinated regional response rather than isolated national measures.
In a July 3 letter sent from Nyandeni Royal Palace in Libode, Ndamase said South Africa’s traditional leaders viewed the migration and xenophobia crisis with “heartfelt and urgent” concern. He described the visit as an initiative involving the country’s kings, queens and royal families to strengthen ties across the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
“We are all Africans, and we are finding an African way to solve African problems,” he wrote.
The monarchs are building on earlier engagements with the South African government. Ndamase said the decision to visit Zimbabwe followed a June 27 meeting between President Cyril Ramaphosa and traditional leaders on the rise in anti-immigrant sentiment, followed by another meeting the next day, where both sides agreed on the need to engage regional leaders.
That approach mirrors the government’s position. Ramaphosa has condemned vigilante groups targeting foreign nationals and insisted that only the state has the authority to enforce immigration laws. He has also directed security agencies to remain on alert during demonstrations and dispatched special envoys to neighbouring countries to address the drivers of irregular migration.
During the Harare talks, the two kings plan to discuss xenophobia, migration and the role of minority communities within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area. They are also proposing a SADC Regional Minority Summit in Victoria Falls, which they hope will help recast migration as a driver of regional investment rather than a source of conflict. Ndamase also praised Mnangagwa’s Pan-African credentials, saying he is well placed to help lead regional dialogue on migration.
South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation confirmed it is aware of the visit. Spokesperson Chrispin Phiri said the department had received the correspondence from the traditional leaders and would engage them through the appropriate channels. In Zimbabwe, Zanu-PF spokesperson Chris Mutsvangwa confirmed that Mnangagwa had accepted the meeting, describing it as part of wider regional efforts to address what he called the “weaponisation of poverty.”
The diplomatic initiative comes as Zimbabwe continues to receive thousands of returning citizens. Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Zhemu Soda said 21,291 Zimbabweans had been repatriated through government-assisted programmes since late May, while another 56,832 returned on their own amid fears of violence in South Africa. The government has established an inter-ministerial committee to coordinate the reception, registration, transport and reintegration of returnees.
Some analysts remain sceptical that the talks in Harare will produce meaningful results. They argue that Zimbabwe’s prolonged economic challenges, high unemployment and limited public services have fuelled large-scale emigration, making it difficult for Harare to present itself as a model for addressing the root causes of migration.
Even so, the two kings say the mission is about more than immediate policy outcomes. Royal officials point to the deep historical ties linking Southern Africa’s royal families. Ndamase’s late mother was an eSwatini princess, a connection they say reflects the region’s shared heritage and reinforces the need for dialogue between traditional leaders as well as governments.
Whether that royal diplomacy helps ease tensions or leads to the proposed Victoria Falls summit is expected to become clearer after Friday’s meeting in Harare.
By: Andrews Kwesi Yeboah