Princess Sibanda
BEITBRIDGE — A joint parliamentary committee has conducted a fact-finding mission at the Beitbridge Border Post and the reception centre to assess Zimbabwe’s preparedness to receive nationals repatriated from South Africa amid concerns over xenophobia and Afrophobia.
The visit brought together members of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committees on Defence and Home Affairs, Peace and Security, State Security, Home Affairs, and War Veterans, who sought to assess the systems in place to receive, screen, and assist Zimbabweans returning from South Africa.
The Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Defence and Home Affairs, Exevia Maoneke, said the committee was satisfied with the recommendations and information presented during the visit.
“We are happy with the recommendations. The situation is xenophobic and Afrophobic, and it is not stopping, so we are grateful for the tour and the update. It will make a perfect report,” Maoneke said.
He said the mission was aimed at establishing whether Zimbabwe had been adequately prepared to receive its nationals following the repatriation exercise.
“Today we are here on a fact-finding mission as a joint committee on Peace and Security, Defence, State Security, Home Affairs, and War Veterans. We want to see if we were able to receive our people as they were repatriated from South Africa after being affected,” he said.
The committee also assessed the security measures used to vet returnees before they were allowed into the country, as well as the health facilities and other services available at the reception centre.
“We want to see whether security measures were put in place to vet them before they entered the country, and the health facilities and other services that are being offered,” Maoneke said.
The legislators received reports from various government departments involved in the repatriation and reception process as part of their assessment.
Maoneke commended government departments, organisations, and well-wishers who assisted in providing services to returnees during the repatriation exercise.
“We have received various reports from different departments. We want to thank the well-wishers and the government for the service they provided during the repatriations,” he said.
Meanwhile, Assistant Immigration Officer Lucky Matyora said a significant number of Zimbabweans had returned to the country through both state-assisted and self-repatriation arrangements.
“From the 28th of May to date, we have had 42,343 state-assisted and 129,112 self-repatriates,” Matyora said.
The figures highlight the scale of movement of Zimbabwean nationals from South Africa into the country, and the pressure placed on border management, reception, health, security, and reintegration systems.
The parliamentary mission is expected to culminate in a report containing recommendations on how government and other stakeholders can strengthen preparedness, security screening, health services, and support mechanisms for returnees.
The visit comes as Zimbabwe continues to monitor developments affecting its nationals in South Africa, with Parliament seeking to ensure that returnees are received in a coordinated, secure, and dignified manner.
