About a quarter of a million Shangaan people fled from southern Mozambique to neighbouring South Africa when conflict with RENAMO began in the 1970s. Now, finally, the situation could be safe enough to go home; but in the intervening decades, many have settled amongst their South African neighbours, welcomed with a shared language and history. "They fled because they were getting killed". But on an institutional level, the Mozambicans have lived for over a decade without legal status and with their basic needs ignored. One man, living in a makeshift shack for the past 15 years, says there is far too much emphasis on money in South Africa. "We can't farm or plant. We have to find work all the time ". Early attempts at repatriation failed as the refugees feared fighting would break out again. One organisation now offers new hope: trying to match up former refugees with relatives back home. A moving story of families reunited after more than a decade.

Produced by SABC Special Assignment