The Nematatani family are pleading with the community of Dididi to allow their husband and father to come back home.
This follows after community members stormed their house and chased the head of the family, Mr Admire Ncube, away. The incident took place on 5 March. Ncube has a valid passport, but is a Zimbabwean national. The incident was described as a xenophobic attack as other foreigners were also chased out of Dididi.
The problem apparently started after a Zimbabwean national had allegedly killed a Dididi resident during a fight in a local shebeen.
Ncube said he missed his family and was worried about his children. "Who will take care of my children?" he asked. "I cry for my children, I work hard to provide for my family and give them everything they want; now I can't even give my daughter transport money."
Ncube is also a pastor of the African Assembly Saints Church of Christ in Zion, which is situated in their house at Dididi. He and his wife, Rudzani Nematatani, have been married traditionally for 24 years, and they have been staying together in Didi ever since their marriage. They have four children together. Three are still minors and their first-born, Emulayi Nematatani (22), is a second-year IT student at a college in Thohoyandou.
Ms Rudzani Nematatani said the incident had turned their lives around. "I am stressed and cannot take care of my children alone, without the help of my husband. Today I didn't even have pocket money for my children and transport money for my daughter to get to college."
She added that, after 44 years of staying in the village, she no longer felt safe there. "I am worried about the future of my children. How will they grow up without a father figure?"
Emulayi said she was finding the situation difficult and it was a threat to her future as she could not go to college and concentrate.