By A Correspondent- South African immigration officials at Beitbridge Border Post were yesterday reportedly imposing five-year bans on returning Zimbabweans without explanation.

This was revealed yesterday when 141 returnees arrived aboard three buses from Johannesburg.

Immigration officials at Beitbridge were not immediately available for comment.

Beitbridge east legislator Albert Nguluvhe said imposing bans on returnees might have been an overreaction considering that some of the returnees were shoppers caught up when the lockdown to stop the spread of coronavirus commenced.

“I am not sure if this is the international arrangement, but I think South African immigration officials at Beitbridge are overreacting,” Nguluvhe said.

Sharon Sibanda (27) of Filabusi said all those aboard the bus she was on had a five-year ban imposed.

“They did not explain, but just banned us. They seemed cheeky,” she said.

Of the 141 who arrived, 51 were from Cape Town, who arrived earlier in the morning while the remainder arrived after midday. They were screened by health officials and profiled by Social Welfare Department officials who immediately separated them according to their destinations.

At least four Zupco buses were on standby to ferry them to their various provinces while some will be quarantined in Gwanda, Masvingo, harare, Gweru, Bulawayo and Mutare