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Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
SECURITY officers at Beitbridge Border Post have intercepted a South Africa-registered bus carrying 51 Zimbabweans who were being illegally transported to the neighbouring country.

The group is among 124 people who had just been deported from South Africa for violating that country’s immigration laws.

Four crew members have since been arrested for facilitating illegal migration and are being held by police in the border town.

It is alleged that after getting to Beitbridge, the group negotiated with the bus crew led by a South African driver to take them back for a collective R13 000.

After paying the money, the immigrants did not disembark from the bus for Covid-19 screening at the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) hotel.

The hotel is being used by the Government as a quarantine, isolation and transit centre for Zimbabweans returning from Eswatini, Lesotho and South Africa.

Everyone returning on the Government or self-assisted facility is subject to undergo mandatory screening at the centre.

The police officer commanding Beitbridge District, Chief Superintendent Tichaona Nyongo said investigations were in progress.

“We have four suspects in custody who are assisting us with investigations, but I cannot give you further details at this stage,” he said.

However, a source with the Ferrets said the immigrants were found hiding under the bus seats to avoid detection.

The Ferret is made up of various security officials.

“A team led by Major (George Mvura) from the army was patrolling the area when they stopped the two buses which had just dropped deportees from Lindela (in Johannesburg) at the NSSA hotel.

“They conducted a physical search of the two buses, as per standard procedure leading to the discovery of 51 people hiding under the seats,” said the official.

The source said after interrogations, the immigrants revealed they had paid R13 000 to bus crew members for transportation back to Johannesburg.

The group was then accompanied back to the NSSA Hotel for screening and further management.

When our news crew arrived at the quarantine centre, security had been heightened around the area and the bus had been seized pending further investigations. — @tupeyo