Zimbabwe working on repatriating 200 smuggled children

The government is actively working on repatriating more than 200 Zimbabwean children who are currently residing in care homes in South Africa. These children were smuggled into the neighboring country to visit their parents and guardians.

Simon Masanga, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Service, Labour, and Social Welfare, disclosed this information while briefing members of two parliamentary portfolio committees in Bulawayo.

Masanga highlighted the challenges posed by the movement of minor children from Zimbabwe to South Africa, particularly during school holidays. He explained that some parents, who may have migrated from Zimbabwe but left their children behind with relatives, invite their children to South Africa for visits. These visits are often facilitated by individuals known as "omalayitsha," who transport the children across the border, posing risks to their safety and well-being.

Masanga noted that while some children manage to cross the border into South Africa, others are intercepted by authorities on highways. Currently, more than 200 children are in care institutions in South Africa, and efforts are underway to repatriate them safely and reunite them with their extended families.