14 Zimbabwean children stuck in Botswana

A TOTAL of 14 school-going children from Tsholotsho District, Matabeleland North Province, are reportedly stuck in neighbouring Botswana after being intercepted by authorities in August on their way to South Africa without legal documentation.

They were being transported by a cross-border operator and got intercepted on August 10, according to concerned parents, with the youngest doing Early Childhood Development.

The learners are from Mahole and Hondola primary schools as well as Mavela, Tshithatshawa, and John Landa secondary schools, in Tsholotsho District.

Despite warnings by the Government, parents continue to risk the lives of their children by making them travel without proper travel documents, risking falling prey to human trafficking syndicates.

Chronicle spoke to some of the affected parents who requested anonymity but expressed fear and disappointment over the incident.

One of the mothers said she paid ZAR1 000 to transport her child without a passport to South Africa.

“My child was intercepted in Botswana while coming for a visit to South Africa where I work. I have gone there countless times to try and secure her release but it’s hard,” she said.

“They even ordered us to do DNA tests to prove that we are the parents. When we go there, we are not allowed to see the children as authorities say we will traumatise them.”

She said the matter was taken to courts and the children were handed over to Botswana’s social welfare department in Tutume near Maitengwe Territory.

“It pains us that schools have opened and the children are missing out on class. If this continues to drag on, we will be forced to make them repeat their grades,” said the parent.

“Some of the children are in exam classes and the Grade Sevens are starting their exams this week while those in Ordinary Level will be starting later this month.”

Another parent with a Grade One child said they have made several trips to Botswana in vain as authorities allegedly keep changing goalposts.

“My son was visiting his father in South Africa for the holiday. After they were intercepted, we were told to bring birth certificates to get them but when we arrived they asked us to do DNA tests. They then said they will call us when the results are out,” said the parent.

“They phoned us after the results were out and when we got there they made us sign some forms and we were thinking they would give us the children but they said we should go back and they will call us again. We understand, we broke the law but this is dragging on for too long.”

The parents said what pains most is the fact that they are not allowed to see the children and they do not know the condition they are living under. A parent with a Form One child appealed to Botswana authorities to speed up the process and ease their stress

“We know, we are on the wrong side of the law and the authorities have a duty to uphold the law and protect children. We only travel back home during the December holiday and missing our children makes us do this,” said the parent.

“The passport for children expires after five years but its cost is the same with that of an adult, so it’s costly for some of us hence the risk we take.

“What is now concerning is that their right to education is being affected. We supplied all the details they wanted and even did DNAs. We don’t know what the hold up now is.”

Another parent with a child at Mahole Primary said they were charged for DNA tests, which were only administered to mothers. She said the cross-border transport operator has refunded her ZAR800 out of the ZAR 1000 she paid.

“They told us the children are safe but as a parent, it is difficult to trust their word. If they have released the cross-border operator, why is it taking this long for them to release the children?” she asked

Former Tsholotsho Rural District Council chairperson and Ward 9 councillor, Mr Esau Siwela, said most of the children were from his ward and confirmed having assisted the parents to submit the required documents to Botswana officials.
“The parents approached me as most of them are from my ward. I took them to the Registrar’s Office in Tsholotsho where they got all documents proving that they are the biological parents of the children,” he said. “They did affidavits at Tsholotsho Police Station to enable them to travel to Botswana. When we got to Botswana they took all the papers we had prepared. “They also did interviews with the parents and did DNA tests. We returned home and were called after three days but when we got there they said some parents did not submit their documents, which delayed the process,” said Mr Siwela.
He said after all processes parents were told to return home while the cross-border transporter involved was fined 30 000 Pula by courts in that country.
“This issue needs to be resolved soon as the children may not be able to recover lost time at school. Those in final year exams classes will have serious challenges. My appeal is to the Government to help bring our children home,” said Mr Siwela.
Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage permanent secretary, Ambassador Raphael Tayerera Faranisi, said such issues are handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since it involves another country.
Efforts to get a comment from the Foreign Affairs Ministry`s spokesperson, Mr Michael Mukura, were unfruitful as he repeatedly did not answer his phone nor respond to messages sent.

-@themkhust