ZIMBABWEANs returning from South Africa have expressed
frustration over confusing processes they are subjected to before admission to
Covid-19 quarantine centres in Beitbridge.
The confusion has seen some returnees escaping the
quarantine centre at the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) hotel in the
border town.
Last week 19 people escaped from the facility, bringing to
27 the number of escapees from the hotel turned Covid-19 quarantine centre.
About eight returnees were the first to escape from the
facility a week after it was opened to handle returning residents.
“I am still at the NSSA quarantine centre, but not
admitted. I arrived today early in the morning (Saturday, 16) but still have
not been attended to up to now at 8pm,” said a returning resident, who
requested to remain anonymous.
“I am personally appalled at the level of incompetence and
the government’s ill-preparedness.
“Nothing has been said, we are just waiting. And we have
children, who are now restless and starving.”
Another returnee said: “We arrived at the Zimbabwe border
in the morning around 6am, and other buses got here earlier.
“We were made to remain in our buses for hours with no
assistance. Border officials didn’t seem like they knew what to do
with us.
“We were given forms to fill in and passports were taken
from those who had them.”
“There were about 10 or more buses that came from South
Africa with the assistance of the Zimbabwe consulate and the International
Organisation of Migration.
We were screened in South Africa and all was well,” another
returnee narrated. “We left the border around 4pm and proceeded to the
quarantine centre.
“It was packed and social distancing was not being
observed. Other buses waited outside including the bus I am in.
“We were not briefed. We do not know what is taking place
and we are just waiting. Apparently we are supposed to be tested and screened, but
no one has addressed us.
“We do not know where we will be quarantined or what is
going to happen. People have not eaten, my worry are the children who are
now exhausted, restless and hungry.”
Matabeleland South provincial medical director Ruth
Chikodzore said the quarantine centre was under the Ministry of Social Welfare
with the Health ministry only undertaking health checks on returnees.
“We work with different agencies, the police, immigration
and others. As the Health ministry, our task is to do screening, checking
temperatures and conducting rapid diagnostic tests for Covid-19 on the
returnees upon arrival,” Chikodzore said.
“If one tests positive, we then isolate and do confirmatory
polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests.
“Once we do the screening, the Social Welfare ministry
takes over, and that is when the police also come to ensure compliance to
prevent, among others, people from escaping.”
Totamirepi Tirivavi, the director of social welfare in the
Ministry of Public Service and Social Welfare, was not reachable for comment.
Matabeleland South police spokesperson Assistant Inspector
Philisani Ndebele refused to comment about incidences of returnees escaping
from the quarantine facility.
The quarantine centre has capacity to accommodate 280
people, but government has set the maximum at 150.
Beitbridge border post is the busiest port of entry into
the country, posing a health risk at a time when other countries have imposed
rafts of measures including total lockdowns to combat the spread of the
disease.
The 140-bed Beitbridge hotel was formerly leased by the
Rainbow Tourism Group who shut it down in 2016 following years of successive
losses. Standard
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