News / National
Zimbabwe deports a South African girl in 'tit for tat game'
07 Jul 2015 at 10:26hrs | Views
A South African mother claims Zimbabwean immigration officers deported her 12-year-old daughter on arrival in Harare in a "tit for tat game".
She said her daughter was travelling on an emergency travel certificate to write a school entrance exam - as well as to visit her sick father.
The woman tweeted on Saturday that a chief immigration officer told her that, as South Africa did not allow Zimbabweans entry on emergency travel certificates, Zimbabwe was "just returning the favour".
But Department of Home Affairs director-general Mkuseli Apleni said an emergency travel document could not be issued for something like an exam.
"I can't say it is an emergency to write an examination."
He added it was "wrong to say that Zimbabwe was doing this for tit for tat".
The woman claimed her child was travelling on an emergency travel document because, despite prolonged efforts, she had been unable to procure a passport for her.
She said her daughter was travelling on an emergency travel certificate to write a school entrance exam - as well as to visit her sick father.
The woman tweeted on Saturday that a chief immigration officer told her that, as South Africa did not allow Zimbabweans entry on emergency travel certificates, Zimbabwe was "just returning the favour".
"I can't say it is an emergency to write an examination."
He added it was "wrong to say that Zimbabwe was doing this for tit for tat".
The woman claimed her child was travelling on an emergency travel document because, despite prolonged efforts, she had been unable to procure a passport for her.
Source - Times LIVE