Tendai Gukutikwa
Mutare Bureau
PROSPECTIVE migrant workers from Manicaland have been urged to secure valid travel and employment documents before seeking jobs outside the country to protect themselves from human trafficking, exploitation and abuse.
Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Manicaland Provincial Employment Officer, Mrs Nora Torto, said travelling without proper documentation expose Zimbabweans to risks, including illegal recruitment, exploitation by employers and difficulties returning home when faced with emergencies.
She made the call during the provincial commemorations of the International Day of the Girl Child in Mutare recently, where she particularly cautioned school leavers against being lured into unverified employment opportunities abroad.
Mrs Torto said Zimbabweans were free to seek employment in other countries but should follow lawful migration procedures, including obtaining passports, appropriate work visas and other required permits.
“We are not discouraging people from seeking greener pastures outside the country. However, we are urging them to do so through legal channels and with all the necessary documentation,” she said.
“People must have valid passports and work visas before travelling. Crossing borders or seeking employment using forged documents exposes them to human trafficking and other forms of abuse.
“If something happens to you in a foreign country, having proper documentation makes it easier to establish your identity and facilitate your return home.”
Mrs Torto said reports of Zimbabweans being sent back home from South Africa without their belongings or means of support demonstrated the consequences of irregular migration.
She said prospective migrant workers, particularly young people leaving school and seeking economic opportunities, should exercise caution before accepting employment offers from individuals whose identities and recruitment operations had not been verified.
“Look at what happened in South Africa, where some Zimbabweans have been sent back home with nothing,” she said.
“Many of these people had travelled through illegal channels without proper papers. Young people must understand that an employment opportunity abroad should not come at the expense of their safety and dignity.”
Mrs Torto warned that the consequences of travelling with forged or inadequate documents could extend beyond deportation, particularly when migrants became ill, died or fell victim to criminal activities in destination countries.
She said the absence of proper identification and travel records could make it difficult for authorities to establish the whereabouts of missing migrants, assist their families or facilitate the repatriation of their remains.
“Imagine travelling with forged documents and falling seriously ill or dying in a foreign country. How would your identity be established, and how would your family be assisted to bring you back home? These are issues people must consider before embarking on irregular migration,” she said.
Mrs Torto also revealed that the Government was dealing with cases involving Zimbabweans who had travelled to various countries, including destinations outside Africa, through irregular channels and whose whereabouts remained unknown.
She said some families had approached authorities seeking assistance in locating relatives who had left the country for employment opportunities but had subsequently lost contact with them.
“The Government has received reports from families whose relatives travelled to different countries without following proper procedures and have not been accounted for,” she said. “We are making efforts to establish their whereabouts, but such situations become difficult when there are no proper travel and employment records.
“Some of these people could be experiencing serious difficulties, while their families back home have no way of knowing what has happened to them.”
She urged prospective migrant workers to verify employment offers and recruitment agencies before making travel arrangements, warning against relying on promises of lucrative salaries without establishing the legitimacy of the opportunities.
Mrs Torto said legal migration provided an important safeguard by ensuring that workers’ identities, destinations and employment arrangements could be properly established, enabling authorities to offer assistance when necessary.
“I call on young people, particularly girls who are vulnerable to deceptive employment offers, to seek guidance from relevant authorities before accepting opportunities outside the country,” she said.
“Responsible labour migration is important in protecting Zimbabweans while allowing them to pursue employment opportunities and improve their livelihoods without falling victim to trafficking networks.”
