Zimbabwe receives 139 returnees fleeing xenophobic violence
GOVERNMENT has put in place measures to facilitate the smooth movement of Zimbabwean citizens returning through the Beitbridge Border Post after fleeing xenophobia-motivated attacks targeting migrants living and working in South Africa.
With the assistance of the Zimbabwean Embassy in South Africa, Government has, over the past three days, evacuated 139 citizens back home.
The first group of 74 people, comprising 49 adults and 25 accompanied children, arrived from Mossel Bay in the Western Cape, while another group of 35 adults and 30 children travelled by road from KwaZulu-Natal province yesterday.
The returnees are destined for Chegutu, Chipinge, Chiredzi, Sanyati, Masvingo, Gweru, Kwekwe, Bikita, Bulawayo and other towns across the country.
Embassy officials in South Africa are continuing to document and assist Zimbabweans seeking voluntary repatriation amid growing safety concerns.
A number of State agencies met in Beitbridge yesterday and agreed on several interventions aimed at ensuring the safe passage of Zimbabweans based in South Africa.
District Civil Protection Committee chairperson Miss Sikhangezile Mafu said authorities had identified the Government-run Reception and Support Centre to process returnees arriving at Beitbridge.
The Reception and Support Centre has the capacity to accommodate up to 1 000 people, including adults and minors, on a daily basis.
“We have met with all State actors and agreed on the need to ensure a seamless process by the returnees through our town. So, we have identified the Reception and Support Centre as a processing centre for the returnees as the receiving town of Beitbridge.
“We are using the ‘Whole of Government Approach’ so that the whole process becomes seamless. All the sub committees have been activated to outlay plans on health, transport, health, resource mobilisation and social protection. So far we are happy to note that on the ground, everyone is playing their role effectively. In fact, we have handled more human traffic before and we will continue using the same strategies,” said Miss Mafu.
Miss Mafu said additional resources would be mobilised through various Government departments and development agencies in line with prevailing needs on the ground.
She said operations would be reviewed whenever necessary.
Upon arrival, the returnees are being received at the border by officials from the Department of Social Development, Immigration and other agencies.
They are subsequently offered counselling and psychosocial support, food assistance and transport before being taken to their respective homes.
“Such a process ensures that everyone arriving is assessed and provided with social support to help them reintegrate with their families and communities. We have the Ministry of Health and Child Care on standby for those with medical needs, the Department of Civil Registry attending to documentation issues, the Department of Social Development looking at social
