In a bid to bring down the number of illegal immigrants, South Africa is expected to send around 800 Zimbabweans back home today by train.This will be the second batch to be brought home.
An official said that the first group of 796 men arrived in the country via the Beitbridge border post on June 3. The latest arrivals will bring the total number of people who have been deported from South Africa since the beginning of the year 8,750.
It is alleged that these people were picked up for violating South Africa’s immigration laws.
Yesterday Zimbabwe’s Consul General to South Africa, Batiraishe Mukonoweshuro said the documentation of those due for deportation would be completed today( Wednesday).
He went on to say the group would be left at the National Railways of Zimbabwe station adjacent to the government-run reception and support centre which has a carrying capacity of 1,000 people at any given time.
“We expect them to leave Johannesburg on Thursday (tomorrow) and arrive in Zimbabwe the next morning.
“There are over 800 people due for deportation, but we’ll have the exact number by end of day tomorrow (yesterday) upon completion of the documentation processes”.stated Mukonoweshuro.
He said they had agreed in principle with the Home Affairs department that children and women would always be deported in buses.
Mukonoweshuro said the train was introduced as a way to reduce over crowding at the Lindelani Transit Holding Centre by illegal immigrants.
He said the train would only be used in cases where there would be larger numbers of people at the centre.
Mukonoweshuro suggested the need for Zimbabweans travelling to South Africa to always ensure that they have the right needed documents. “Those travelling with children must be aware of the new requirements of long birth certificates and the requisite affidavits, in cases where only one of the parents is travelling with a minor,” he said.  -State Media