The Border Management Authority (BMA) has clarified how unaccompanied minors intercepted near the Beitbridge Port of Entry are handled, saying children are not deported but reunited with families through a cross-border verification process.
This follows the interception of several children and adults in bushes near the port during the Easter return-leg operations, where they were waiting for facilitators to transport them to buses. The minors were handed over to the Department of Social Development for care, while adults were deported to their countries of origin.
BMA Commissioner Dr Michael Masiapato said children are only released after authorities confirm their guardianship with officials in Zimbabwe.
“In South Africa, we can only release that child after the Department of Social Development on the Zimbabwean side has confirmed that indeed that particular person is the mother of that particular child. And that is how the person or the children get reconciled with their families. We do not deport children. And the reason why we do it this way is because if somebody claims that a child is theirs, we have no mechanism to prove that.”
He said the process is designed to prevent children from being handed to the wrong people, with social workers verifying family links before reunification.
“It is only a country’s social development where the people are coming from, where they will be able to give us assurance that yes, indeed, this is the mother and we are able to get them reconciled. We do not keep them for long. It can be only for 24 hours, and then everything gets settled.”
Masiapato also clarified circumstances surrounding a bus that was later intercepted with two undocumented passengers, saying it had initially complied with all entry protocols at the border.
“I think we need to put it very clear. We had conversations with all the cross-border operators, buses in particular. Since we had those conversations, we never necessarily had any of this incident which just happened in as far as the bus that was intercepted in Blue Fountain. So we can say that we appreciate most of the bus operators who comply with our request to make sure that they ferry people with documentation.”
He said the bus was processed with 43 passengers, all of whom had documentation at the time of entry.
“As part of the protocol, when that bus arrived at the north gate, all the people were screened in terms of health, and the bus came through into the port and followed all the protocols. Everybody was processed. The total number of passengers processed in that bus was 43, and that particular bus complied.”
However, two additional undocumented passengers were later discovered when the bus was intercepted outside the port.
“To be able to confirm that indeed what we did is what we were supposed to do. There were no additional people. Everybody was accounted for, and that bus moved into the country. Ultimately, it was said the bus was intercepted in Blue Fountain. There were two additional people in that bus, and those people did not have documents.”
Masiapato said the matter is now under investigation, with the driver expected to explain where the passengers were picked up.
“From where we are sitting, we are saying that particular issue is under full investigation. The driver will have to indicate where he picked up those people. The driver, by the way, has to be charged for aiding and abetting according to Section 59 of the Immigration Act. Ultimately, the bus will then have to be charged for ferrying illegal migrants inside the country.”
Saturday Star