SA Bans Zimbabweans For 5 years: The South African government is deporting and banning Zimbabweans for 5 years from returning to the country. Some of those deported are ex-prisoners who have been pardoned by the President of South Africa as part o the measures to congest prisons. Upon arriving at thee Beitbridge border post, Zimbabweans’ passports are being stamped with a 5 year ban as their documentation are being entered.
Zimbabweans seek explanation for 5 year ban
Zimbabweans are seeing their passports stamped with a five year ban. They are now seeking an explanation from the South Africa immigration authorities as to the reasons for the 5 year ban. Some of those banned are occasional shoppers who cross into South Africa to purchase groceries.
Zimbabweans authorities are still to address the returning citizens about the ban. The government has however acknowledged that South Africa is deporting some of its citizens. The Zimbabwe government spokesperson Nick Mangwana said, “Beitbridge has received 2 buses with a total of 81 people.The first bus came from the Western Cape and the second from other Provinces.The are escorting the buses to the returning residents’ provinces to their respective provinces. Zimbabwe is expecting 18 buses through Beitbridge between tonight and tomorrow morning.These buses have 476 Zimbabweans deported from South Africa. A good number of the expected citizens are ex-prisoners.They are coming from different detention centres, some for documentation issues.”
One Mobile Network Company is issuing free registered sim cards to returning residents arriving in Beitbridge. Creative people see opportunities everywhere. Of course having the means to communicate helps a lot when quarantined away from your communities. pic.twitter.com/CVTESHznkU
— Nick Mangwana (@nickmangwana) May 9, 2020
The Zimbabwe spokesperson of the government only spoke about the deportation but no the ban on Zimbabweans leaving South Africa.
One institution that has been up to the task in managing the logistics of the returning Zimbabweans is @zupcobus. It has traversed the length and breadth of the country carrying everyone and their loads of belongings. They are getting this one right. pic.twitter.com/zi0bP5XHTe
— Nick Mangwana (@nickmangwana) May 9, 2020
South Africa has been struggling to deal with an influx of foreign citizens especially Zimbabweans. The lockdown situation provides South Africa with a n opportunity to deport and ban Zimbabweans and lessen the burden on its jobs and resources as it fights covid-19.
The Minister of Finance Tito Mboweni announced that South Africa will be a new economy with new labour laws when the coronavirus pandemic is finally over. He directed South African companies to prioritise South Africans in their hiring process. The deportation and banning of Zimbabweans partly achieves the objectives of the new labour laws.
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