Online Reporter
Sikhumbuzo Moyo, [email protected]
THE United Congregational Church of Southern Africa (UCCSA) transit centre in Bulawayo has received 49 Zimbabwean returnees deported from South Africa who served prison sentences, mainly for immigration-related offences arising from lack of documentation, with all of them requiring medical attention upon arrival.
Officials at the centre said the returnees arrived last week in poor health after enduring harsh conditions during their incarceration, with ailments ranging from pneumonia and persistent chest pains to swollen feet.
Briefing a delegation from the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare led by Permanent Secretary Mr
Pfungwa Kunaka during a tour of the transit centre on Friday, UCCSA coordinator Mr Desmond Ntini said every member of the group was referred for medical assessment.
“They were all referred to our site clinic here at the centre. Some were later taken to our referral hospital, Mpilo Central Hospital,” said Mr Ntini.
He said the returnees attributed their deteriorating health to the conditions they endured while detained in South Africa.
“They said they slept on the floor throughout their detention, and some of them had been in custody for as long as six months before they were deported. Those conditions have clearly taken a toll on their health,” he said.
Mr Ntini said the UCCSA transit centre, working in partnership with the Government and humanitarian organisations, continues to provide temporary accommodation, food, medical care and psychosocial support before facilitating family reunification or onward travel to the returnees’ home areas.
Speaking to Zimpapers, Mr Kunaka said Government was working closely with the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works through the Department of Civil Protection, as well as humanitarian partners, to ensure
Zimbabweans affected by anti-migrant protests and rising xenophobic sentiments in South Africa receive comprehensive assistance upon their return.
He said support begins at the Beitbridge Reception and Support Centre before returnees are transferred to the UCCSA transit centre in Bulawayo for further assistance and reintegration planning.
“We are responsible for the reception of these migrants and ensuring that they receive essential support. We provide psychosocial services, food, water, sanitation and profile all returnees, including children, so that their specific needs are identified and addressed,” said Mr Kunaka.
He said special attention was being given to vulnerable children, particularly those arriving unaccompanied or separated from their families.
Mr Kunaka said social welfare officers conduct screening and health assessments before initiating family tracing and reunification processes.
“Where relatives or parents cannot be located, we provide alternative care support through registered children’s institutions or foster care while ensuring that every child receives the protection they deserve,” he said.
To minimise disruption to education, Mr Kunaka said the ministry was working closely with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to facilitate school enrolment for returning learners.
He said children whose parents or guardians had lost their livelihoods during the unrest in South Africa and could no longer afford school fees would be assisted through the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM).
“We recognise that many families lost everything because of what happened. Through BEAM, we are ensuring that affected children are not denied access to education because of financial challenges,” he said.
Mr Kunaka said Government support extends beyond the transit centres through a structured reintegration programme under which social welfare officers conduct follow-up visits while community child protection committees, traditional leaders and other local structures monitor the welfare of returnees to ensure they settle back into their communities successfully.
Government has in recent weeks intensified support for Zimbabweans returning from South Africa following anti-migrant protests and rising xenophobic attacks that have displaced many foreign nationals. Reception centres in
Beitbridge and Bulawayo continue to provide temporary shelter, healthcare, psychosocial support and other humanitarian services before returnees are reunited with their families or assisted to travel to their respective home areas.
