Zimbabwe should pay SA for immigrants, bus and taxi operators say

The Zimbabwean government should be forced to pay tax for its illegal immigrants in South Africa, who have become a liability to the South African fiscus and its public resources.

A group of South African bus and taxi operators, who confessed to have been involved in ferrying illegal immigrants entering through the Zimbabwean and South African border, said they had had enough and wanted this to stop.

“Yes, indeed, we have been transporting these people for profit but at the end of the day, they become an economic problem in our country. When they arrive here, they must find shelter, jobs and food and they depend on the health and education resources provided by the government,” said a taxi owner who asked to remain anonymous.

The operator said he transported immigrants between Johannesburg and the border fence.

He claimed illegal immigrants crossed the border continuously because there is no control.

“We have come to realise that the South African government is struggling with Zimbabwean migrants who break the border fence frequently. Why is the Zimbabwean government keeping quiet?

“President [Emmerson] Mnangagwa is folding his arms. His government must pay compensation tax to relieve our fiscus,” said bus operator Phumudzo Mukhwathi.

He commended the parliamentary select committee on public accounts for doing its best to stop illegal immigrants, but said as long as Zimbabwe itself did not act, the problem would continue.

It had been reported that five million Zimbabweans live in South Africa, but it is believed the figure was far higher.

Since the 2008-2009 political turmoil in Zimbabwe, many of its citizens trying to escape political prosecution crossed into SA. The period saw intensive migration when opposition Movement for Democratic Change supporters and white farmers were harassed by authorities and supporters of the ruling Zanu-PF.

“It’s no longer justifiable for Zimbabweans to cross into South Africa because political prosecution had subsided since [former president] Robert Mugabe died. Even those who come in search of better opportunities have no reason to come and should be controlled,” Mukhwathi said.

Operators also highlighted the danger of the possible spread of Covid-19 by illegal immigrants who cross the border without being tested for the virus or other diseases.

Mukhwathi claimed illegal immigrants crossed through the Limpopo River and the broken border fence every day without being tested for any diseases.

“This poses danger for South Africa and its health facilities are overwhelmed. Our schools have to cater for children of illegal immigrants and the government has to spare extra budget for these people,” he said.

The allegations came as official reports showed that for every 10 patients admitted at Gauteng neonatal healthcare facilities, six were foreigners.

The bulk of migrants who entered healthcare facilities were Zimbabweans.

Mukhwathi and others who operated buses and taxis between Johannesburg and Harare in Zimbabwe were losing profits because the cross-border repatriation permit allowed anyone to be a bus operator instead of only licenced operators.

“We also fear that some of the immigrants are involved in crimes such as cash heists, murders, rape and stock theft within South Africa, especially in the border areas. Those cases are not easy to solve because illegal immigrants are not registered and it’s easy for them to hide or run back into their country to avoid prosecution,” he said.

He said although South Africans also committed those crimes, it was easy to trace them because their fingerprints were on the police database. In the case of illegal immigrants, it was difficult, even if they were still inside the country because their personal details were not recorded anywhere.

“Mnangagwa’s government must take responsibility for allowing this to happen. Zimbabwe must fix its human rights issues. They must allow exiles such as their former minister, Jonathan Moyo, to return home and they must give freedom to journalists like Hopewell Chinono,” Mukhwathi said.

Attempts to get comment from the department of home affairs were unsuccessful.

– ericn@citizen.co.za

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