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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau

SOUTH Africa’s Home Affairs department has said it is tracking down 69 people among them five Zimbabweans who escaped from the Lindela Repatriation Centre in Gauteng province during a riot on Sunday.

The migrants escaped while being detained for violating immigration laws, while some had completed jail terms for various offences and were due for deportation.

Those who escaped on Sunday are from the following countries; Tanzania 38, Malawi 14, Zimbabwe 5, Mozambique 3, Lesotho 2, Burundi 3, DRC 3, Nigeria 1.

In a statement Home Affairs head of communications, Mr Siya Qoza said the gang escaped on Sunday at around 11:50 am at the facility located in Krugersdorp area and that the matter had been reported to the police.

He said there was another attempted escape on Monday but it was thwarted by the security guards and that one of the migrants was injured in the process.

As part of the probe, police have arrested two security officers and they are in custody.

“The Department of Home Affairs wishes to confirm an adverse incident whereby 69 undocumented foreign nationals who were awaiting deportation escaped from the Lindela Repatriation Centre in Krugersdorp. The incident took place around 11:50 on Sunday, 17 March 2024,” said Mr Qoza.

“Lindela is managed by facilities management company, EnvironMongz, which also provides security services on behalf of the Department.

Our investigation revealed there was an altercation between the inmates and EnvironMongz management and its security team. It was during this altercation that 69 undocumented foreign nationals escaped.”

He said they were worried about the circumstances and the manner under which this escape happened, considering that the facility’s management could have done enough to prevent the incident.

As such, he said, the company- EnvironMongz contract was now being scrutinised to decide on the best course of action.

Mr Qoza said as an immediate intervention, the Department of Home Affairs had taken over the access control and other security functions at the facility by putting a different security company at the gate while the matter is still being investigated.

“At the time of the escape, the facility was holding 1 521 undocumented foreign nationals who were awaiting deportation,” he said.

“The 69 escapees were part of this group. Most of these 1 521 undocumented foreign nationals were scheduled to be deported this week.

Despite the event that took place over the weekend, we are still proceeding with this scheduled plan to deport them to their countries of origin. The scheduled deportations are to Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Eswatini and Zimbabwe.”

He continued; “As part of this scheduled plan, 622 deportees have departed the facility. Last week, the Department deported 1 050 individuals to Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.”

Mr Qoza added that they were working with other law enforcement agencies to track down the escapees and that so far one has been re-arrested.

The Lindela Repatriation Centre (Lindela) is one of South Africa’s largest facilities for the holding of undocumented migrants, mostly those awaiting determination of their legal status in that country.

The Department of Home Affairs is legally and administratively responsible for all matters pertaining to the apprehension, holding, processing, repatriation, and release of illegal immigrants at the facility.

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