Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya-Beitbridge Bureau
THE Joint Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Peace and Security, Defence, Home Affairs and Security Services has commended the Government for its swift response in repatriating Zimbabweans from South Africa in a dignified manner and implementing a cocktail of measures to help returnees bring their property duty-free.
Government also continues to re-integrate returnees’ children into the education system and other social protection nets.
The committee was in Beitbridge yesterday for a verification exercise following the mass return of Zimbabweans at the height of anti-migrant protests in South Africa.
In response to anti-migrant protests and rising xenophobic tensions in South Africa, the Government initiated coordinated repatriation and support operations to bring back thousands of affected citizens safely.
The Government deployed inter-ministerial teams, arranged transport logistics and set-up transit and processing support at the Beitbridge border.
Through the Department of Civil Protection under the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, the Government is working with the private sector, humanitarian organisations, development partners, non-governmental organisations and churches to facilitate the safe repatriation of affected citizens.
The move comes as thousands of foreign nationals, including Zimbabweans, have been displaced in several parts of South Africa following renewed anti-immigrant campaigns by pressure groups such as the “March and March” movement.
The Joint Parliamentary team, led by Committee Co-Chairpersons Cde Exevia Maoneke (Chivi Central Constituency) and Senator Irene Zindi (Manicaland), toured the Beitbridge Border Post and the Government-run Reception and Support Centre to assess reception and processing systems and support structures for returnees.
They were welcomed by the Minister of State for Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Albert Nguluvhe, with senior Government officials, security services and border agencies.
“We appreciate the efforts by the Government in bringing home Zimbabweans who are affected by xenophobia in South Africa. From what we have been briefed and seen here on the ground, we are impressed by the coordination by all arms of Government and its partners,” said Cde Maoneke.
“The border also serves as a transit point for Zambians and Malawians returning to their countries by road, and we have heard that our civil servants did a great job in facilitating that transition.
“Basically, we were here on a fact-finding mission as a joint committee from the lower and upper houses on peace and security issues, to gather information on whether, as a Government, we were able and capable of receiving our fellow nationals from South Africa who were fleeing xenophobic and targeted attacks on migrants in that country.”
Cde Maoneke said Parliamentarians wanted to understand if security measures were put in place to ensure that the returnees were vetted before being allowed back into the country and if there are public services, which are key at a facility like Beitbridge Reception and Support Centre.
In addition, the team also wanted to hear from them (returnees) and hear their plans as the reintegration takes place.
Cde Maoneke said the team had received good feedback from Home Affairs, Registrar, Health, Border Management, Logistics and Transport.
“We thank the Government for the Whole-of-Government approach that saw people receiving services, which are key in a situation like the one we have seen now,” he added.
Co-chairperson, Sen Zindi, said the scale of the operation was unprecedented, but well managed.
“Looking at the numbers of the returnees that came back at the same time, we appreciate the dignity brought about to our fellow countrymen,” she said.
“There was a whole lot of work our civil servants did to ensure all services were at the disposal of the Zimbabweans. People did not anticipate such multitudes of people, and as Parliament, we appreciate that the services were splendid. During the presentations we learnt a lot about the operations here and the coordination across the ministries.”
Assistant Regional Immigration Officer, Mr Lucky Matyora (Beitbridge), gave the committee statistics on movements through Beitbridge.
He said so far the Government had managed to help 42 343 Zimbabweans to return home while another 129 117 came home independently.
Mr Matyora said the department had also facilitated a total of 86 969 Malawians to transit to their country via Beitbridge Border Post.
“During the same period we facilitated the return of 8 944 male minors, and 9 405 female minors, while another 19 948 minors returned independently with their parents,” he said.
Minister Nguluvhe said the Government, working with humanitarian partners, set up reception centres to provide meals, water, medical screening, temporary shelter and onward transport for returnees.
“We received our people under difficult circumstances, but as Government we moved swiftly to ensure no one was stranded. The border teams worked day and night,” he said.
