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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau

ZIMBABWEANS who will soon be repatriated from South Africa are going to be screened at Beitbridge Border Post before being transported to quarantine centres in their provinces.

So far there are no exact figure of people who will return home from South Africa but there are chances that the figure could run into thousands.

Initially, Government had planned to keep them in Beitbridge but changes were made this week following consultations by the Covid-19 taskforce teams.

The NSSA Hotel which is being used as a quarantine and isolation centre for Beitbridge can only accommodate   400 people while two boarding schools Zezani and Tongwe which had been proposed to take other returnees can only accommodate 250 and 280 each.

Beitbridge District Medical Officer, Dr Lenos Samhere revealed the changes to the local district development committee.

“The returnees coming from South Africa will now be screened and documented in Beitbridge then they will be escorted to their provinces as they come.

“Official communication to this effect will follow,” he said.

However, it is not clear how many Zimbabweans will return home from South Africa, though information from the Consulate in Johannesburg indicate that 3 055 have registered for various forms of assistance.

Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to South Africa, Mr David Hamadziripi said they were

yet to know the exact numbers of those who will be brought home.

“We are yet to get all the figures and exact dates for transportation and you will note that we have just commenced the processes of seeking clearance from the government of South Africa.

“Under the current lockdown measures here we cannot just proceed with the repatriation without that clearance,” said Mr Hamadziripi.

It is understood that most of the returnees reportedly crossed the border illegally into the neighbouring country and have requested to be sent back home in the wake of the outbreak of Covid-19.

Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Deputy Minister Lovemore Matuke last week said arrangements with their South African counterparts were being made to allow even those without the requisite papers to return home.