Lord Manonose, his wife Jesca Manonose and children Ruvarashe Manonose (11) and Tana (4) yesterday took part in a citizenship ceremony at the Dunedin Municipal Chambers.
After the family and 37 other people became New Zealand citizens, Mr Manonose, who works as a technician at the Macraes gold mine, said he and his family were enjoying the compact, friendly nature of the city.
They also liked the easy access to parks and beaches such as Brighton, and the fact that the facilities were not overcrowded.
Mr Manonose came to New Zealand with his wife and older daughter in 2004, living for several years in Auckland before coming to Dunedin in 2009-10.
When he left Zimbabwe, he had been looking for better opportunities abroad, and had found them in New Zealand and Dunedin, he said in an interview.
Others becoming New Zealand citizens yesterday were: Jurairat Brook (Thailand); Andrew James Chadwick (Britain); Afrodita Magdalena Ciulacu (Romania); Rozanne Davis, Pieter Machiel Du Toit (South Africa); Celine Muriel Dufour (Belgium); Nils Anthony Fletcher-Zirke (Britain); Rogelio Guedea Noriega, Bruno Guedea Fonseca (Mexico); Angel Ham, Jamie Haam (Korea); Marie Magdalena Hastie (Canada); Jacylin Yian Ming Ho (Malaysia); Jamie Kim (Korea); Laurence Richard Potter, Elizabeth Louise Potter, Lucien Standish Strummer Potter, Emily Lilly Louise Potter (Britain); Rajni Kiran Sanyal (India); Ilana Singer (Israel); Jill Mary Smith, Simon Nicholas Smith, Thirza Amelia Smith, Theo George Smith (Britain); Hannah Clare Vickers (Britain); Hilary Waddell (Britain), John Neil Waddell (Britain, South Africa); Youri David Wijland, Aicha Wijland (Netherlands); Aaaron Zimba, Chipo Zimba, Kudakwashe Zimba, Tinayeishe Aaron Zimba, Chiedza Zimba (Zimbabwe); William Damien Barr (Ireland); Yo-Han Park (Korea), Loretta Maria Parker (Britain).