Zimbabwe: SA Blocks Hundreds of Undocumented Zimbabweans

SOUTH AFRICAN Home Affairs department has set up roadblocks to net in hundreds of undocumented Zimbabweans flocking into the country.

Home Affairs Minister, Aaron Motsoaledi described the roadblocks as firewalls that will detect immigrants who will have escaped at the border post.

The roadblocks manned by the Homes Affairs department, SARS customs, police, and defence forces are set up from Beitbridge to Hammanskraal.

Scores of illegal Zimbabwean immigrants are reportedly jumping the border fence, returning to South Africa to work after visiting their families during the festive season.

Two roadblocks have been mounted at Baobab, one at Musina and another at Mantsole.

Motsoaledi who was conducting site inspection at one of the roadblocks at Beitbridge Border Post told eNCA that on Monday morning alone a total of 179 undocumented Zimbabweans had been arrested and deported back.

“At the borderline, they return about 60 to 100 every day, the reason that we have these roadblocks here is we are building firewalls in case somebody escapes detection at the borderline,” he said.

“What we have learnt is that these people come by cars from Zimbabwe, the car stops on the other side of the border and whoever doesn’t have documents, then move out of the car and the driver who is documented will go in, and pick the person who crossed illegally on the other side.

“We have another firewall at the Baobab, I suspect it’s 20-30km from Musina and another one in Mantsole when you are about to arrive in Hammanskraal so throughout we are putting firewalls to make sure whoever escapes is caught.”

South African has put the responsibility of maintaining the borderline fence between South Africa and Zimbabwe under the border management authority to ensure the infrastructure is more-tight.

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