Botswana deports 23 000 Zimbabweans

THE number of Zimbabweans deported from Botswana is already higher by 30 percent from last year, as the neighbouring country intensifies its inland operations of driving out illegal immigrants, an official has said.Statistics show that 143 279 Zimbabweans have been deported since January 2009 to October 2013.

From January to October this year, 22 675 Zimbabweans were sent home. This is higher by 30 percent in only 10 months, compared to 17 402 sent back home the whole of last year.

In an interview, the assistant regional immigration officer in charge of western region, Mr Nqobile  Ncube, said: "The repatriation figures for this year   are not looking good because they are on the  increase.

"Already, the figures we have recorded over the past 10 months have surpassed last year's deportations of 17 402.  This shows that Botswana is putting  a lot of effort into their inland efforts to rid   themselves of people who do not have relevant documentation."

Mr Ncube said by this time last year 13 573 people had been deported from the neighbouring country.

"The largest number of deportations during this period was recorded in December 2009 when 8 314 Zimbabweans were deported. The lowest was recorded in January last year where 683 Zimbabweans were deported. Two thousand six hundred people were deported in

December 2010 while 2 423 were deported in the same month in 2011 and 2 180 were deported last year," said Mr Ncube.

In April this year, 2 639 Zimbabweans were deported while 814 were deported during the same month last year.

In October 2 940 Zimbabweans were deported while 1 505 were deported during the same month last year.

With the festive season coming, Mr Ncube said Zimbabwe and Botswana had plans to open their border around the clock.

"In principle, we have agreed with Botswana to have both borders open for 24 hours from 21 to 25 December. We are waiting for an official confirmation from  our Botswana counterparts. It is a complex processwhich has to be gazetted by Botswana authorities    first.

"We hope that this move will enable us to absorb all the traffic that we will be having over the festive season. In the past our side has been opening 24 hours but it defeats the purpose if our Botswana counterparts do not do the same," he said.

Mr Ncube said they expected the number of travellers that was being handled to increase beginning of next month.

"At this time of the year the number of travellers would have slightly increased but as of now it is still low. It could be as a result of an improvement in our economy.  Few people seem to be travelling for economic survival purposes as has been the norm.

In October we handled 36 300 exits while we recorded 38 195 in the same month last year."

He urged people to ensure that they travel early in order to reduce congestion at the border.

"I would like to urge people to desist from last-minute travelling in order to help ease congestion. In as much as we are committed to provide travellers with an effective service they should also work with us.

"We will do our level best to avoid delaying people at the border. We usually record a high increase in traffic at the start of December. Most will be entries as people will be returning home for the festive season," said Mr Ncube.