adminPatrick Chitumba Chronicle Reporter
BOTSWANA Members of Parliament have condemned the ill-treatment of Zimbabweans visiting that country at the Ramokgwebana border post.
According to Botswana media reports, members of the neighbouring country’s Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) visited the border post and described the situation there as chaotic.
They said their government was bringing their country into disrepute by failing to address concerns on the ill treatment of Zimbabweans.
MP Majaga said Zimbabweans were being ill-treated by Botswana immigration officers.
According to the Mmegi newspaper, PAC member and Nata-Gweta MP Polson Majaga wondered if the Labour and Home Affairs permanent secretary Pearl Matome had ever been to the border post.
He said immigration systems were slow, which created problems for mainly Zimbabwean visitors who buy groceries from Botswana.
“A lot of Zimbabweans buy their groceries this side, but I’m not happy with the way they are treated. For one to cross over this side they’ve to wait in long queues for a long time.
“Some end up bribing the immigration officers so that they can enter our country. This isn’t good for our country,” he said.
In response, Matome said they were aware of the problems at the border and asked the committee to give her ministry two months to resolve the matter.
“We’re working on changing the behavioural and system problem as it’s an issue of management. We’ve been there twice and are working on resolving the matter,” said Matome.
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