Story by Tichaona Kurewa
MORE than 140 000 Zimbabwean and Malawian nationals have been repatriated from South Africa through the Beitbridge Border Post since early July, with Government continuing to coordinate the exercise through an inter-ministerial committee.
Chief Director in the Department of Immigration, Mrs Respect Gono, said the committee remains on the ground to facilitate the safe return of Zimbabwean and Malawian nationals.
“I can safely inform you that currently we’ve repatriated 72,658 Zimbabweans. They’ve been assisted to come back home. The returnees are all welcome back home. We welcome all Zimbabweans. They can come in any time, and we are there to accommodate them and ensure that they are safe,” she said.
Mrs Gono said 72,272 Malawian nationals travelling from South Africa have also been processed through Zimbabwe, with immigration officials, police and embassy representatives escorting the buses from Beitbridge to Nyamapanda Border Post.
“So far, we have cleared 72,272 Malawians. I want to advise the public that we accompany all the buses carrying Malawian nationals. We come from Beitbridge and leave them at Nyamapanda Border Post,” she said.
Meanwhile, the processing of civil registration documents for returning Zimbabweans is continuing at Beitbridge Border Post.
Registrar General Mr Henry Machiri said officials are assisting returnees who arrived without essential documents.
“Some of those people are coming back with children who do not have birth certificates, and they do not even have the supporting documents because either they were banned or they left in a hurry, and those people we are assisting,” he said.
Government established the inter-ministerial committee at Beitbridge Border Post to ensure the repatriation process is conducted safely and efficiently.
