SA intensifies effort to curb border jumping at Beitbridge

Police rounded up Zimbabweans crossing the Beitbridge border illegally into SA yesterday, with  people arrested as authorities stepped up security to stem the tide of illegal crossings by increasing patrols on the Limpopo River and the parameter fence.

At around 1pm, a police Nyala and two vehicles emerged from the border post fully loaded with people caught while trying to cross to SA illegally.

There were several reports of long queues on the Zimbabwean side with suggestions that it stretched a few kilometres as many of the travellers returned from the festive season holidays, causing a headache for border security and enforcement of Covid-19 regulations.

Home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi said on Sunday that about 500 undocumented Zimbabweans were arrested daily.

Limpopo MEC for health Phophi Ramathuba's spokesperson Thilivhali Muavha said they had discovered many fake Covid-19 medical certificates and sent a lot of Zimbabweans back to the country.

"Some of the people we sent back told us that they got the certificates from a bus driver. While others don't even know how the tests were conducted as some certificates indicated that  blood was drawn-out during the process," Muavha said.

Motsoaledi's spokesperson Siya Qoza told Sowetan that the number of people travelling into SAthrough Beitbridge had increased.

"Just like any other year, we experience a high number of people travelling back to South Africa because it is the beginning of the year. We have seen less movement towards the Zimbabwean side since last week," Qoza said.

He said authorities had beefed up security at the much–maligned border post.

“For the past two days the security cluster officers have been patrolling the Limpopo River with boats and we have increased police visibility and surveillance along the border post. The officers will continue to monitor the border as part of the plan announced by the minister to facilitate smooth movement,” he said.

However, Qoza said the plan had nothing to do with a curfew in Zimbabwe but they would be ready to handle any situation from neighbouring countries.

Some of the Zimbabweans who had already crossed the border into SA have laid bare administrative difficulties and unfairness in the hands of government officials.

Rasta Phiri from Bulawayo told Sowetan yesterday he was one of the people who were told that they had fake medical certificates.

“I went to a medical doctor and paid R600 for the certificate but I was shocked when I arrived at the Beitbridge and the South African government sent me back home. I had to pay R170 for another test,” he said.

Phiri said though he was convinced that his papers were in order, he found himself paying bribes to Zimbabwean police, who solicit money from  fellow countrymen.

“The Zim police have been threatening to withhold my permits if I don’t give them money. I had to sell my cellphone in order to pay bribes because if I miss [the opportunity] to go [to Durban] today, I will never leave due to Zim lockdown,” he said.

Phiri said he was going to rejoin his family in Durban, where he works as a bricklayer.

Another Zimbabwean national, Antonio Mause, from Harare, said she spent four hours for her documents to be processed as the queue was long.

“I was in the queue at 4am and finished around 10am. I paid R400 for my Covid-19 certificate,” she said.

Mause said many people were stuck in long queues in Zimbabwe because officials demanded bribes before processing documents, hence there are illegal crossers.

“I have never seen such a long line and there is no social distancing. People want to be in South Africa for jobs,” she said.

Police spokesperson Brig Motlafela Mojapelo said police had recorded three deaths of illegal crossers who drowned while using makeshift boats.