Immigration gets tough on cross-border child movements

Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
The Department of Immigration has raised concern over an increase in the illegal transportation of children between Zimbabwe and South Africa’s borders, whom they say are susceptible to violent crimes and rape.

Since the beginning of December, close to 100 children between the ages of two and 14 have been ntercepted while being illegally transported to South Africa.

The assistant regional immigration officer in charge of administration at Beitbridge, Mr Innocent Tawanda Hamandishe, said they were intercepting the transporters on a weekly basis.

He said so far, two of the transporters known as omalayitsha had been fined $500 each for facilitating illegal migration.

“We are very worried at the rate at which parents are giving their undocumented children to illegal transporters.

“As the Department of Immigration in collaboration with other security agencies, we have deployed adequately and we do not tolerate the illegal movement of people through our borders,” he said.

Mr Hamandishe said so far, they had seized two South African-registered Toyota Quantums, which they intercepted carrying 24 minors.

He urged parents to jealousy guard their children.

He said they had enough manpower to curb irregular migration at the border post.

“The intercepted children are sent to a reception and support centre, which is being operated by the Department of Social Services. At this point they are united with their parents following a thorough vetting process.

“We want to advise the travelling public to ensure that they are documented and have the correct travelling visas so that we may avoid unnecessary situations,” he said.

Under South African and Zimbabwean immigration laws, parents travelling with their children below the age of 18 are required to carry long birth certificates showing both paternity and maternity, other than a valid passport.

In the case of one parent travelling with the child, they are expected to have consent or authorisation documents from their spouse to travel with the child.

Single parents should have the power of attorney documents.

The Police Officer Commanding Beitbridge District, Chief Superintendent Francis Phiri, said the police were out in full force and ready to pounce on those in the business of illegal transportation of people between the country’s borders.

“We have deployed adequately and are in a no nonsense mood. Let these criminals be warned that we will descend on them heavily.

“It is sad that parents entrust their children in the hands of strangers who in some cases turn out to be abusers,” he said.

Last week, three Zimbabwean cross-border transporters were jailed for a combined 632 years by a South African High Court after they were convicted of 62 charges including murder, robbery, extortion and rape among other violent crimes perpetrated in that country.

The trio was accused of kidnapping more than 100 Zimbabweans and killing several others including two Harare women between May 30 and July 11 last year.

Meanwhile, police have arrested two Beitbridge men and a woman for mounting an illegal roadblock along the Beitbridge-Masvingo Road where they posed as detectives from the Minerals and Border Control Unit.

Albert Bako (25), Blessing Moyo (25) and Tanaka Mino (19) were bust by alert police officers at the 70km peg near Bubi Village, soon after extorting R3 700 from a suspected smuggler.

Acting Matabeleland South police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Nkosinathi Sibanda said the trio were arrested on Wednesday last week and the matter was still under investigation.

He said the three are facing charges of impersonation and extortion.

“Preliminary investigations reveal that the trio connived to mount an illegal roadblock along the Beitbridge-Masvingo highway.

“They trailed a Nissan 1-tonne truck from Beitbridge town, which they suspected to be carrying smuggled goods. When they reached the 70km peg they flagged the driver to stop indicating that they were police detectives from the Minerals and Border Control Unit,” said Asst Insp Sibanda.

He said the trio then extorted R3 700 from the motorist who paid the money and drove off to an official roadblock, which was 10km away, where he made a report.

Asst Insp Sibanda said when the police reacted they found the trio still preying on other motorists at the same spot. The police recovered R900, a fake police identification card and a clipboard inscribed “Border Control”.

“We want to strongly warn malcontents and those of like mind that the law will descend heavily on them,” said Asst Insp Sibanda.