Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya-Beitbridge Bureau
OPERATORS of some cross-border buses have found an opportunity to make a killing amid the mayhem created by the anti-immigrant protests in South Africa.
Virtually all of them have DOUBLED their fares and luggage charges as they cash in on demand amid the rising tensions in South Africa.
Thousands of Zimbabweans have either returned home or are rushing home, with the majority of them doing so by road, ahead of a deadline set by protest leaders, which lapses today.
The border at Beitbridge has become busy again and, since late last month, long queues of buses, kombis and private vehicles have been arriving daily from Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape in South Africa.
Border officials say most of the travellers are Zimbabweans leaving South African townships after the anti-migrant protests.
So far 35,403 Zimbabweans have returned home independently from South Africa while 4,735 have returned through State assistance via the same border. Interviews with passengers and operators show a sharp increase in travel costs.
A bus seat from Cape Town or KwaZulu Natal to Harare, which normally costs R1,800, is now going for R3,000.
“Most buses plying the KZN and Cape Town routes are reportedly fully booked up to 5 July,” said a woman, who was travelling with her two children from Cape Town.
“The demand for transport home is high. People are scared. “So, the bus operators have doubled fares and this has seen many opting to use State assistance to leave South Africa.
“When the locals gave me one hour to leave, I was yet to receive my salary for June and, worse, I couldn’t afford the bus fares.
“From Cape Town to Harare people are now paying R3,000 up from R1,800 and if you have luggage, it’s worse”
The woman said some operators were charging up to R4,000 for extra bags, trunks and household goods, especially beds, fridges or stoves.
She said some travellers have little choice but to pay or leave most of their property behind.
“Zimbabweans in those areas have created the demand, and the buses are cashing in,” said another returnee, identified only as Mitchel.
A man, who only identified himself as Ernest, said: “I decided to come home with a few items using State-assisted transport to avoid huge costs.
“I had to leave before month-end and to make matters worse, landlords are no longer taking rentals from migrants for fear of being victimised.
“That’s the same case with employers, some migrants are told not to come to work, because the Government of South Africa has deployed labour inspectors who, if they find irregularities, slap the employers with huge fines”.
In response to the ongoing situation in South Africa, the Government has deployed Embassy officials to all troubled areas where they are documenting Zimbabweans and repatriating them by road in coordination with the host government.
The majority of the returnees are coming through the Beitbridge Border Post which is, at the moment, the only official land border between Zimbabwe and South Africa.
The district civil protection committee, led by chairperson Sikhangezile Mafu, coordinates operations when the buses arrive at Beitbridge, with the support of a team of Government agencies.
The main processing point is the Government-run Reception and Support Centre in Beitbridge, which can handle 1,000 adults and children every day.
“We have met with all State actors and agreed on the need to ensure a seamless process.
“We are using the whole Government approach so the process becomes seamless.
“All sub-committees have been activated for health, transport, resource mobilisation and social protection,” said Mafu.
She said on arrival, each person is registered and profiled by officials from the Department of Social Development and Immigration while the Ministry of Health and Child Care checks for medical needs.
