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The Herald
Victor Maphosa
Herald Reporter
It’s easy to get to and from South Africa through the official border post without a valid passport and Covid-19 certificate, legal requirements on both sides, thanks to corrupt officials in both countries.
However, it costs R1 200 for a middleman, who presumably pays officials after receiving a cut.
Last Tuesday, a Herald reporter went to Musina and came back to see how it was done.
In one of Beitbridge’s high-density suburbs, an old red Honda Fit pulled up and pulled up to the door of Venda Lodge, where The Herald investigative reporter had stationed.
The reporter, armed with his passport and Covid-19 certificate, opened the door, jumped out and, together with the driver, headed for the border. He was carrying the legal documents just in case.
Before this particular day, on a hot Monday afternoon, the reporter had gone like a common traveler to the border post where he managed to gather information on how to cross into South Africa without any travel documents.
At the main gate and the first gate of entry to the immigration offices of the city of Beitbridge, the journalist saw on the right security agents guarding the door and randomly checking the documents of those entering or leaving the immigration offices walking.
On the left, an immigration officer would be reviewing passports, Covid-19 certificates, and other documents of motorists entering the complex, while other security officers are responsible for checking all motorists entering the country.
Self-made immigration agents are always buffing off the perimeter fence, soliciting clients without the required documentation.
If one does not have a passport, the agents will charge you R1 000, while those without a Covid-19 certificate but in possession of a passport will pay the agent R200 and he will easily take them to the South African side of the border.
Remember, for one to travel to another country, and since both sides in Beitbridge are supposed to have the same requirements to leave Zimbabwe, one must be in possession of a valid passport, with other necessary documents depending on the reason for your trip . intention to visit a neighboring country.
Added to other documents required to enter South Africa or to re-enter Zimbabwe, a Covid-19 certificate after a PCR test within 48 hours before leaving or re-entering the country. Most institutions charge around US $ 65 for the PCR test required for Covid-19.
However, visitors to and from South Africa, with the help of some security personnel on both sides of the border, can easily go to either country without even a passport.
Corruption and lax security officers at the Beitbridge border post has become a cause for concern, where travelers to and from South Africa can easily enter through the border post even without the necessary documents.
National police spokesman Deputy Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the Joint Operations Command (JOC) has already visited the border.
“Last week, the Joint Operations Command went there and various issues were discussed. I do not want to anticipate what various stakeholders discussed. But I want to assure Zimbabweans that action will definitely be taken. “
The President of the Zimbabwe Cross-Border Association, Killer Zivhu, pleaded with the government to urgently intervene and curb the rot on the border. He said that if corruption and laxity are not stopped immediately, people will perish.
Zivhu warned that those entering the country illegally and without being tested for Covid-19 will accelerate the rate of infections in Zimbabwe, as South Africa is experiencing a second wave of the deadly pandemic.
He also took to Twitter after passing the Beitbridge border post, where he allegedly witnessed people entering the country illegally.
“This message is addressed to our President Cde ED Mnangagwa and Vice President Chiwenga, who is the Minister of Health and Child Care, that people coming from South Africa are arriving in large numbers and some over the border, but most do not have Covid-19 certificates to show your status.
“The ones who are supposed to make sure the law is upheld are the ones who take R200 bribes at the border (from people without relevant documentation, including crucial Covid-19 certificates), these people are entering the country in large numbers.
“I fear that the pandemic is going to hit us hard and that it will wipe out the entire nation. These people are going to different parts of the country and they are going to spread, we beg our president, please do something about corruption at the border ”.
In Tuesday’s test, The Herald reporter put himself in the hands of “Godie,” who was quick to offer his services.
“I’ll take you over to the side of the border if you don’t have a passport. I know the path is very safe, or will take you through water, it is faster that way. But if you have a passport but not a Covid-19 certificate, just give me R300, it will be enough for the authorities in Zimbabwe and South Africa, I know most of them, ”he said.
However, since the reporter had his passport and the Covid-19 certificate, he rejected the offer and decided to go through the border and observe the processes.
Upon arriving at the immigration office, the journalist handed over his passport and the Covid-19 certificate and was granted permission to pass to SA’s side.
But before crossing the Limpopo River Bridge, some security officers were stationed at the last gate before the bridge, where they were checking everyone’s passport and certificate. Those without all the required documents, particularly the Covid-19 certificate, were forced to return, the legal option, or pay R100, basically a bribe.
The reporter proceeded smoothly after producing the documents. After passing the security check, the reporter proceeded to the last security check that is parked on the bridge where most people, particularly pedestrians, are scrutinized before passing through “No Man’s Land”.
It is at this last checkpoint that people are screened according to what they possess in terms of travel documents.
The journalist went to one of the security agents and asked him how he could go to SA without a passport.
The officer stopped, raised his face, and looked closely at the reporter with suspicious eyes, before telling the reporter that he will arrest him.
“So you came here and you want to cross the border without a passport. Well, if you try, they’ll arrest you, I’ll arrest you, ”he said.
After a few minutes of another suspicious look, the officer simply said, “You may proceed to SA”, before joining other officers to investigate dozens of pedestrians who were intending to cross into SA.
Security officers at the last checkpoint would place pedestrians in groups.
Those with the proper documents were told to use the pedestrian bridge first, while those without were told to wait a bit longer before releasing them, after taking R100 to R200 as a bribe.
After passing the Limpopo River while on top of the bridge, those without proper documents get off the footbridge with a rope and land on the other side of the river near the South African fence.
Everything was happening in the eyes of the reporter, who was on the other side of the bridge.
The same rope would be used by other people who always wander “aimlessly” down the gangway to pick up illegal immigrants from South Africa, and on many occasions, security officers would help to lower or lift these illegal immigrants.
As soon as they get up, they pay between R100 and R200, an amount confirmed by one of the illegal immigrants.
While others would be helped to cross illegally into Zimbabwe or South Africa, under the bridge, more people would attempt to cross the crocodile-infested Limpopo River on their own.
From above the bridge, some people could be seen in the nearby bush, waiting for an opportunity or for dusk to be able to illegally enter the country from South Africa or illegally enter South Africa from Zimbabwe.
However, alert SA officers could have none of that and occasionally engaged in a cat and mouse game with Zimbabweans who would have invaded SA’s side from No Man’s Land.
As he was walking across the bridge, an SA official approached the reporter and demanded to see his papers.
After introducing them, the officer allowed the reporter to go through another security check.
It was at this security checkpoint that the reporter was told that his Covid-19 certificate was supposed to be accompanied by a text message or receipt from the health institution that examined it.
The reporter had none.
The official said he will only allow you to continue after you “buy” me a drink.
He told the reporter to go to a bathroom with his passport and insert an R200 note, which upon his return, the reporter gave the official the passport he took and went behind his checkpoint, he put the money in his pocket and finally, he allowed the reporter to proceed.
At the immigration office, the reporter showed his passport and certificate. They told him that he could not go to SA because his passport was prohibited, among other reasons. The reporter’s passport was stamped with a ban stamp, returned and instructed to return home (Zimbabwe).
Instead of going home, the reporter proceeded to the last security check where he approached an officer and told him about his problem. “Officer, I have been banned from entering South Africa, but I ask for your understanding here because I want to go buy something in Musina,” said the reporter.
“Okay, let me see your passport,” the officer replied. The reporter handed him the passport.
Before approaching the officer, the reporter had inserted an R200 inside, and upon receiving and opening the passport, the officer quickly took the bill, folded it, and put it in his pocket.
It happened very fast. He smiled at the reporter, handed him his passport and told him to go to SA.
The reporter was then on the SA side, where he hitchhiked to Musina, made a quick little purchase, and returned to the border.
He made his way to the side of the first checkpoint (SA) where he was not even asked to present any travel documents, much less a Covid-19 certificate, as required.
He passed over the same bridge after walking through all the security checkpoints in SA without anyone asking for his documents.
On the bridge, the reporter faced an unfortunate and sad incident in which a suspected Zimbabwean national was attacked and killed by a crocodile while trying to cross illegally into South Africa.
More than 50 people watched helplessly as the killer crocodiles were busy fighting to get a part of the man.
As the crocodile that attacked the man swam downstream, the man’s clothing and legs were fully visible.
Once again, on the other side of the pedestrian bridge, several people who had crossed illegally from SA were lifted, while those who intended to cross illegally to SA were later lowered to the ground.
Since the brief and unfortunate incident, the journalist made his way to the security checkpoint on the Zimbabwe side, where he was not asked for any documents, not even the Covid-19 certificate.
At the immigration office, his passport was stamped on the arrival side and he left. They detained him at the last security checkpoint where he was simply asked about his journey before being told to head home.
They never asked him for a Covid-19 certificate or passport, regardless of whether he was carrying plastic bags with some clothes he had bought in South Africa.
