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Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau

The Government has started working on logistics to open another quarantine and isolation at Mzingwane High School in Matabeleland South to accommodate more Zimbabweans returning from South Africa.

Currently, the National Social Security Hotel (Nssa) is being used for that purpose at Beitbridge Border Post.

The place can only accommodate 280 people on quarantine and another 70 on isolations.

It is understood that the first batch of those coming from South Africa are funding their repatriation with the Zimbabwe Embassy providing logistical services, while the Government is also working on a package to assist those without resources.

The Provincial Covid-19 Task Force settled for another centre to accommodate the ever-increasing numbers of Zimbabweans who started arriving in the country officially on Thursday morning.

According to the Provincial Social Services officer, Mr Criswell Nyakudya they have agreed to keep 150 people in Beitbridge, being the standard figure for an ideal quarantine centre.

“The provincial task force is already seized with the logistics of moving people to the Esigodini quarantine centre.

“The recommended number of people for our quarantine centers should remain at 150 people and below,” said Mr Nyakudya.

He said so far they have received 477 Zimbabweans from South Africa and that most of them were being moved to various provincial centers countrywide.

These will be housed mainly in Public Service and District Development Fund infrastructure.

The official said the Government had allocated them enough resources to feed those already in quarantine centers and those arriving from Botswana and South Africa.

“We received 437 people from South African provinces in nine buses between Thursday and Friday via Beitbridge Border Post,” said Mr Nyakudya.

“Twenty Five others were picked by security along the border, while 15 repatriated themselves through the port of entry.

 “Upon arrival, they are being screened by security, then the Ministry of Health and Child Care and we then register and feed them.”

“After which we group them according to their final destination and transport them in Zupco buses which are already in Beitbridge.”

He said on Thursday they dispatched five buses to Harare, Bulawayo, Mutare, Masvingo, and Gweru with people who will be quarantined at various centers.

Mr Nyakudya said more buses were still being dispatched as and when the returnees arrive.

He said they had enlisted the services of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to escort the buses to ensure that none escapes from quarantining.

“The first bus went to Harare straight, the second went to Harare with people from Bulawayo Metro, Matabeleland North and Gweru, while the third bus went to Manicaland via Masvingo and another bus went to Mashonaland West and Harare en-route to Manicaland.

“Currently we are loading more buses going to Mashonaland East and we have notified the Provincial Social Welfare Officers to make arrangements to receive the returnees.

“We are also catering for food for those traveling, who will be fed at Chicken Inn outlets until they get to the quarantine centers,” said Mr Nyakudya.