The neighbouring South African government has deported more than 400 former prisoners who had gone to look for greener pastures.
Secretary for Information Ndabaningi Nick Mangwana said the deportees are expected to arrive between Saturday and Sunday.
“Zimbabwe is expecting 18 buses through Beitbridge between tonight and tomorrow morning. These buses have 476 Zimbabweans deported from South Africa. A good number of the expected citizens are ex-prisoners. They are coming from different detention centres, some for documentation issues.”
When asked how many children or women they were, Mangwana said, “These are mainly former prisoners, some have different histories from murder, robbery, fraud, housebreaking and documentation problems.”
Last month Health and Child Care minister Obadiah Moyo said the country is buckling under the sudden influx as South Africa started the deportations soon after the country imposed a lockdown on March 27.
“We have suddenly seen a large influx of returning residents through our Beitbridge border post,” Moyo said. “For instance we were advised that initially there was a group of 500 nationals who came from South Africa, having been returned by the South African government.
“That group we have recommended that they be put under self-quarantine at controllable venues.”
