South Africa will, between today and tomorrow, deport a
total of 273 Zimbabweans who have been arrested for breaking its immigration
laws.
The move is part of the neighbouring country’s efforts to
contain the rapid spread of Covid-19 by decongesting over populated areas
mostly prisons and immigrants detention centres.
A total of 169 arrived today in police vans while another
106 are expected to arrive in the country by road through Beitbridge Border
Post tomorrow.
Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to South Africa, Mr David Hamadziripi
said that all those being deported were from various holding centres in Limpopo
Province.
“I can confirm that the South African authorities will be
deporting a total of 273 Zimbabwean nationals from 2 to 3 July 2020.
“The majority of them had been arrested for violation of
South Africa’s immigration laws,” said the ambassador.
The latest development brings to 800 the total number of
Zimbabweans deported from the neighbouring country since the beginning of
April. The first group of 527 arrived in the country in a convoy of 11 buses in
May and these were mostly from Gauteng province.
Among the immigrants were 129 ex convicts.
Upon arrival in the country the immigrants are screened and
profiled at the National Social Security Hotel, which is being used as a
quarantine and isolation centre before being transferred to quarantine centres
nearer their homes.
Before the lockdown, South Africa was deporting around 60
people daily and most of those intercepted immigrants would have overstayed or
travelled without valid travel documents.
Under the current South African regulations, Zimbabweans
are allowed a stay of not more than 90 days per calendar year and those who are
not formally employed are finding too difficult to conduct their businesses
under three months.
The 90 days free visa is awarded to the traveler the ports
of entries at the discretion of immigration officers. While others chose to
overstay, some are making use of fake immigration stamps to illegally extend
their stay in South Africa. Herald
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