Zimbabwe’s state-owned Herald newspaper has reported that scores of illegal immigrants, including many Zimbabweans and nationals of other countries, were stranded at the country’s Beitbridge border post after being deported from South Africa.
The paper said the immigrants were netted in a blitz launched by South Africa’s Home Affairs Department to flush out illegal immigrants and travelers using fraudulently-acquired passports from that country.
The blitz has left a number of people stateless following the confiscation of their passports by South African officials and this means Zimbabwe has to vet these people first before allowing them into the country.
The clampdown started last Monday as some travelers trooped back to South Africa after spending the Christmas holiday in Zimbabwe and other countries to the north.
“A number of travelers were by yesterday afternoon still being forced to surrender their passports after failing to explain to immigration officials how they acquired the documents,” the paper said.
This has become a common practice by the South African immigration authorities who find it difficult to clamp down on holders of such documents during the course of their daily lives.
The Herald said a special team from the Home Affairs Department in Pretoria had been dispatched to Beitbridge to specifically screen travelers.
Those caught with fake documents are automatically denied entry into South Africa or are taken to court to face fraud charges.
Source African Press Agency
