Despite the prospect of poor wages, I made the decision
to go to South Africa. I did not have a passport, but I knew
it could be done even though there were risks involved. I
would make the journey on the bus with a man I knew from
church, which would take us as close as the border, and then
make the rest of the journey on foot when it got dark. By
the time we reached the border there were three of us ready
to make the rest of the trip together; we would have to cross
the Limpopo River to get into South Africa, which was
extremely difficult.
The man from Zimbabwe who was travelling with us
had some knowledge of the journey we had to take, but we
had little money to get us there. I remember the journey
very clearly; it was early morning, and we were going to
cross the border illegally as we had no travel
documentation. As we began to cross the river, suddenly,
behind us, two big elephants started charging after me.
They were making a very loud noise and their ears were
flapping as they moved towards me. There was nothing I
could do but to hope that the danger would pass.
The three of us scattered in different directions.
Although I used to be a fast runner as a child, this was a
completely different ballgame—my life was in danger. The
men were much quicker than me, and I soon found myself
on my own, so I decided to try and find a place to hide until
the danger had passed. I managed to push my way through
the water and hide out at the root of a tree and hanging
branches, where I was hanging on for dear life, my heart
beating hard against my chest.
The elephants came closer, still making that noise, but
I held on tight. I did not make a sound for fear of my life. I
could see them beyond the branches where I lay low. I had
been left on my own and now I was fighting for survival.
This was just the beginning of a difficult journey.
When the danger finally passed and the elephants moved
on to drink further up the river, I came out from the safety of
the branches and started to make my way across the river.
When I got to the other side, the two men were there waiting
for me, but they were shocked that I had made it across
safely. The journey should have been made during the night,
but at least we had finally made it across the border.
Early the next morning we were introduced to our boss
and then given our duties of going to the fields to pick
potatoes. A van would pick us up and take us out onto the
fields; there would be many of us, men, women and children
doing the same job. We had been given a room too, which
was full of bed bugs, and I was covered in bite marks. We
didn't have any money, but we were allowed to get credit
from the local shop to buy food, which would then be
deducted from our wages. These were very demanding
working conditions; the potatoes were picked and then put
into bags and weighed. It was hard work, especially during
the intense heat of the day. There were many people who had
been doing this for a long time, and I wondered how they had
managed to do so. It was extremely difficult, working long
hours throughout each day, but I managed to do it.
I made sure I was able to save enough money, buying
only the most essential of items. I worked on the farm for
two months, and during this time of hard labour, I had little
clothing to wear. I only had one long skirt, and I had lost a
lot of weight during that time. I was struggling, but I knew
I had to remain strong.
After two months I eventually left the farm with a view
of travelling further this time, to the city of Johannesburg,
to try and get a job there. Again, with no money it was not
easy; it was like climbing Mount Kilimanjaro with no
equipment. I swallowed before chewing my food, which
has made me to be the person that I am today. I have made
mistakes, which I have realised and learned from. Life is
not easy when you have children and are a single parent,
but I love them all, regardless of what they have done, in
the past and present.
I always thought about my children back in Zimbabwe,
and wondered if they were still going to school. Did they
wonder where I was? I had no way of contacting them, and
the pain of not being with them was unbearable. It felt like
I was in prison! But I had to keep going, for their sakes, and
only hoped that they were safe and still under my sister's
care.
I discovered soon after that this was not the case. When
I finally contacted my children, I was informed that they
had been sent to my home village, and they could not speak
the Ndebele language. There was only my mother who they
could turn to, and she didn't know them that well.
That was very painful for me. I felt let down by my
sister and could only wonder what would have happened to
them if I had died while trying to cross the Limpopo River.
I was a single parent with very little income, but I knew I
had to pick myself up if I was ever to see them again.
My son explained to me how difficult it was for him
being pulled out of school by my sister when he had been
doing so well in sports and enjoying swimming lessons.
When I heard about this, it pained me very much. I was also
concerned about their wellbeing; they were my children,
and I loved them very much and had gone through such an
ordeal to get them away from their father.
I knew to try and contact them would be extremely hard
as I did not have a phone; it was very tough as I wanted to
let them know I was still okay. At this farm there were no
phones to contact loved ones and not only that, when one
returned to the farm at night, one would always be
extremely tired.
As I wanted money to travel further were, I was Getting
a job unlike where we were, told it will be easier which we
not as hard as picking up potatoes the whole day for just
little bit of money. We worked hard in those conditions,
any.
prior to getting this farm we discussed move forward
this was the plan there fore we worked hard and as soon as
the end of that month it will be time to move further,as
much we could this was challenge. There was also one of
the guys who also had the same plan, after meeting him in
this farm and now were where three as there also was these
men who we met by the farm, and he also wanted to go to
Jonesburg burg End of the month. This journey was the
survival of the fittest and I was not one of them, but I had a
purpose live for my kids
Once we had managed to raise enough money, the plan
was to progress further, and we maintained this; we counted
every penny once we got paid. Having said our morning
prayers, we then paid the local shopkeeper what we owed,
we left the farm and were on our way to Johannesburg. We
had left during the early hours of the morning and we
travelled light, without mobile phones and with very little
clothing.
It was blazing hot, and we had brought no water on the
journey. We were all very thirsty indeed. Once we reached
the river, we stopped so we could get out and take a drink.
I could hear animals nearby, but I was not afraid. The water
was dirty and full of animal droppings, which we tried to
push out of the way before taking a drink. But we were so
thirsty, we had no option but to drink the water.
Suddenly, a jeep pulled up nearby and gunfire was
heard. A white man sat in the driving seat while a Boer got
out and shot at men who were running away. I put my hands
up to signal my surrender; I was fearing for my life,
thinking that he was going to shoot me.
He ordered me to sit in the back of his jeep, which had
no canopy, and he drove extremely fast. There was a dog
sitting up front, but the driver did not look at all friendly.
After driving for some time, he pulled over into a garage.
He was speaking Afrikaans, and I could barely understand
what he was saying to me.
He pointed at my skirt and told me to pull it down. I did
as he told me and I could see that he knew I was very scared.
I was like a mouse that had seen a cat, and I wondered if he
was going to shoot me. I had lost so much weight and I was
on my period, but that was the least of my worries at that
time. He drove me to the police station, and he left me there.
At that particular time, I did not even ask him for water
although I was very thirsty. I was told to sit down while the
policemen took a statement from me. I asked for a drink of
water, which they gave me, although I struggled to
understand what they were talking about. They were
speaking a language I didn't understand, and I could only
wonder what was going to happen to me.
My mind was racing in different directions. I knew I
had to get out of there. I could see wired fences around the
perimeter, presumably to keep the wild animals at bay. I
was trying to figure out how to make my escape and
wondered if I could mae it out of there and run far enough
until I was able to hide. I wasn't sure. Time was ticking by,
and it was starting to get dark.
I had asked to use the toilet and for more water, and as
I looked at the clock on the wall, I wondered how long it
would be until they finished their shift.
I went to the toilet for a second time and I remember
making a short prayer to the Lord, to be with me. I washed
my hands and face and knew that the time had come for me
to leave. I was thinking of my children and the time I had
spent without them all the while I was on the farm picking
up potatoes. I had no intention of going back there, so this
was a risk I was willing to take. I was willing to take my
own life and I was no longer afraid.
I ran out of the building and on to gravel road, running
away as fast as I could. I lost one of my shoes, but just kept
on running until I found a place safe enough to hide. I
discovered some thorn bushes away from the police station
and hid there, hoping that they would not find me.
I saw one of the policemen walk past me. He was on
his walkie-talkie, presumably asking for back up, but
eventually he turned back to his car and drove away. I
remained hidden in the bushes and it was later when they
drove by again, using a search light to look for me; it was
getting dark, but I remained where I was, lying still until
they drove away.
I lay low until it was dark and then decided to make my
escape. I only had one shoe, and I had to walk on stones and
thorns. But to get out of there I had to get beyond the barbed
wire fencing. I walked for hours trying to find a way out,
but the perimeter was heavily guarded with wire and
impossible for me to climb over.
I ran, I heard calls, sirens but I kept running, but I did
not even look, but amazingly enough I just dived down
where there was thorns and I looked for a place just to hide
and I did hold my breath, and
I was lying down, but I was not taking any chances, I
really wanted to be sure, therefore I stayed down. Until it
was slightly dark, and I wanted to make sure the police have
gone, from where I was hiding, they made few trips before
giving up, now I was on my own, and thought how was I
going to move with one shoe, there was a thought that
crossed my mind during that time to try and find my other
shoe will I be able to travel to the unknow land with one
shoe. But deep down I knew that was not an opinion my
chances of survival were running very slim. I remember
seeing tress.
I was going around in circles, worried that they might
see me. It was so dark and I was finding it difficult to see. I
searched for many hours for a way out, and eventually I
discovered an area below the fencing and started to dig
using my bare hands. I pulled away at the dirt to allow a
small gap that would allow me to get through. As I dragged
myself under the fence, my skirt and legs were being caught
on the barbed wire, but I just kept on going until finally I
broke free.
The sun was starting to rise as I got to my feet, and so
I started on my way. I was walking with only one shoe, and
now there was the added danger of wild animals that could
be lurking, but I had lost all fear. I was tired and thirsty, but
I just kept on moving forward in the hope that I would reach
a farm or meet someone who could help me. I kept thinking
of my children, which was enough to keep me going.
Suddenly, a man appeared out of nowhere. I thought I
was beginning to hallucinate. As I got closer to him, I could
see he was an old man, who was speaking to me in a
language I did not understand. I made sign language to
demonstrate my thirst, and he gave me a cup of water and
then led me away to safety. Darkness had fallen again by
the time we had reached his village, but he offered me a
place to rest. I slept on the floor, but that did not bother me,
I was just so tired and exhausted from the journey.
I vaguely remember him telling me that I was safe, and
that he would try and escort me to where I could find
transport that would allow me to travel further. He also had
a relative who would help me get some shoes.
I spent a week with this man and in the safety of his
home. He said he would help me get a lift to Johannesburg
and I was able to get some blue shoes. I ate some mincemeat
with one of the families in the village, which gave me a
terrible stomachache, but I was able to pull myself together
for the journey ahead.
On arrival in South Africa, I found some housekeeping
jobs; the money was not good, which was why I had to work
several jobs (some part time). I had a room to sleep in and
I found that I could go and do ironing for other people,
which is the reason I am very good at ironing today. At
times I would find piles of clothes that needed to be ironed
and I could do that just to get bit of money. I made the
decision to send my children to a boarding school, which
was awfully expensive.
One of the employees left South Africa and went to
Europe with her husband and two children (a girl and a
boy). They were genuinely nice, and she is the lady who
made me realise that there was more that I could do even
though I did not have much education. She advised me to
do a lot of coursework, e.g., cooking, or full-time
childminding. I did those courses and then I started to look
for other jobs when she left, but things were not the same
anymore. I was missing her family so much as they had
been so good to me. She was the one who had bought me a
plane ticket to fly to Zimbabwe, as she wanted me to feel
how it was to fly.
There was a promise of another job, which again she
had helped me with by introducing me to this family. The
lady had twins and she was looking for a nanny to look after
her children when she visited England with her husband.
Presumably they had money, and I had agreed on return
from Zimbabwe after visiting my children.
I had only been gone for less than a month when the
plans were changed. I was not going to go to England
anymore; my dreams were shattered by my employer, who
knew before I had returned, and she passed on the news to
me. I was devastated; this news was overwhelming.
I could not believe it, but I had to start looking for
another job as soon as possible, and I got one. At the same
time, there we are flitting thoughts in my mind; I had to try
and make it on my own for the sake of my children, as now
they were in a boarding school, which meant I had to take
everything. I did have money, but the money that I was
getting paid, I used to pay for the children's boarding
school. It was difficult to save money after that, so I sold
everything I had, including my bed, which I sacrificed to
sleep on the floor.
I had seen an advert for a job in Greece. I contacted the
lady advertising the position; however, I received no
support from my friends, claiming that this lady would use
me by way of prostitution, but my mind was made up and I
was set to move.
My journey to Greece from South Africa was another
experience. I wanted to raise money to send home for the
children's education as they were in a boarding school.
When I was in South Africa, my mother's land, I got
different jobs as a domestic worker and at times working as
babysitter, as it was not difficult to get a job there.
I needed to find a job desperately, but I knew if I looked
hard enough, I would find one. I began my search by
knocking on white people's doors looking for work. I had
sisters who lived and worked abroad, so I felt that a move
was the right thing to do.