A total of 220 Zimbabweans were today deported from South Africa via Beitbridge border post as the neighbouring country moves to decongest migrants holding centres and minimise the rate of new Covid19 infections.
Most of those deported had violated immigration laws (undocumented
and overstaying). So far this is the largest contingent of deportees to arrive
via Beitbridge since the beginning of the year.
Zimbabwe’s Consul-General Mrs Melody Chaurura to
Johannesburg said their hosts have not been able to deport people in the last
two weeks and that the current group had been detained at Lindela Holding
Centre in Gauteng province.
She said on average less than 100 people were being sent
home from South Africa weekly. “This is the largest group so far. It’s part of
the routine weekly deportations. The high number is due to the fact that no
deportations were carried out two weeks prior,” said Mrs Chaurura.
Upon arrival at Beitbridge, the deportees were screened by
the border and health authorities and also tested for covid19.
Those that will test positive for the condition will be put
in isolation, while those testing negative will be sent to their respective
homes for quarantine.
So far over 18 000 Zimbabweans, among them, deportees from
Eswatini, Lesotho and South Africa have passed through the Beitbridge Centre
between March 2020 and June 2021. Herald
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