The bridge is 540 metres long and the woman fell into the
water when she was halfway along the bridge at around 9am.
Travellers gathered on the New Limpopo Bridge to catch a
glimpse of the woman as she laboured to escape from the crocodile danger zone.
The unidentified migrant was among a group of border
jumpers heading to South Africa when the incident occurred. According to one
border official, the border jumper managed to swim across to South Africa.
“It was just her lucky day, that place is infested with
crocodiles and sometimes hippopotamus,” said the source.
Limpopo police spokesperson Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe could
not be reached for comment yesterday. However, he said recently that they had
started with festive season operation named ‘Zizo Jika Izinto’ to combat crimes
including illegal immigrants, drug peddlers, smugglers, armed robbers, illegal
firearms, and those operating shebeens.
Col Ngoepe said the police hit the ground running from
November 16 and that they will continue up to early next year.
So far, Col Ngoepe said they had arrested nearly 4 000
people for various offenses in Limpopo Province.
Since the start of the Covid-19 induced lockdowns in South
Africa and Zimbabwe in March, illegal migration and smuggling has become rife
at crossing points a few metres away from the main port of entry.
Common illegal crossing points are Spillway (500 metres
east of border), Dulivhadzimu Gorge (3km west of border) and the railway line
at the Old Limpopo Bridge. The police and other security agencies have been
carrying out periodic raids at these points.
Chronicle also understands that the Department of
Immigration (Beitbridge) has intercepted 313 people from 1 December to date for
illegal migration. Chronicle
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