Leonard Nherera, his partner and nine-year-old son are facing a return to strife-torn Zimbabwe in one month unless a new sponsor employer can be found.

Leonard was working as an electrician at Pinetec and had applied for a permanent residency visa after living in Collie for three years.

But the business went bust before permanent residency could be approved.

He has been actively looking for work since Pinetec’s closure, but so far he has not had much luck.

Leonard left Zimbabwe in 2002 and has lived in Collie since 2005.

He was afraid to go back to Zimbabwe because "people disappear from their homes or they are bashed," he said.

"The Government ord-ers people to go into your house and take all your belongings in the middle of the night.

"My life will be in jeopardy if I go back.

"They (the Government) do not trust people who have been out of the country, especially a Western country.

"So I am not keen on going back."

Zimbabwe has been under President Robert Mugabe’s control since the early 1980s, though he is supposed to be sharing power with Morgan Tsvangirai of the Move-ment for Democratic Change.

Mr Mugabe’s rule has been characterised by widespread human rights abuses and economic mismanagement leading to hyper-inflation.

Leonard has applied for jobs in Collie, Bunbury and fly-in fly-out jobs, in the hope that he can remain the country.

"I don’t want to go, I have been a good citizen, I have had no problems with the law," he said.

Leonard was hopeful on Tuesday morning that he might be able to stay, after a promising interview at a local mine.

He should find out if he will get the position by tomorrow.

Leonard has 20 years experience under his belt as an industrial electrician, in power distribution, commercial and domestic electrical work.

He has all documentation including education history and licences.