adminThe first batch of 261 deportees was brought in from Lindela detention centre on 7 October in four buses under the escort of South African Home Affairs officials. On 8 November 589 undocumented Zimbabweans were brought back home.
The deportations marked the end of an amnesty for illegal Zimbabwean immigrants staying in South Africa that ran from 5 May to 31 July last year.
More than 275 000 applications from Zimbabweans wishing to regularise their stay in the neighbouring country had been processed while several others were turned down.
In an interview yesterday, the assistant regional immigration manager at Beitbridge border post, Mrs Tamari Shadaya, said of the 672 deportees, 511 were from Lindela Holding Centre in Johannesburg.
“We received 672 Zimbabwean border jumpers yesterday (Thursday) and they were sent to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) for vetting and assistance to travel to their respective homes,” said Mrs Shadaya.
She said on average they handled between 80 and 100 deportees a day.
“We continue to urge travellers to make sure they have valid travel documents to avoid getting arrested for violating the Immigration and Customs and Excise Act.”
On arrival in Beitbridge, the deportees are taken to the IOM reception and support centre where they are offered temporary shelter, food and transport to travel to their respective homes. However, most of them usually shun the assistance and find their way back to South Africa through undesignated entry points thereby endangering their lives.
In April 2009, South Africa announced a moratorium on the deportation of Zimbabweans and granted them a special dispensation for one year so that they could get documents from Zimbabwean officials based in South Africa.
The documentation process was extended to 31 July last year, following a special request from the Zimbabwean Government, largely due to a backlog in the processing of passports by the Registrar-General’s Office.
The dispensation was to allow Zimbabweans to enter and remain in South Africa while regularising their stay.
Online Reporter