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Original Post Date: 2003-01-31 Posted By: Jan
From the News Archives of: WWW.AfricanCrisis.Org
Date & Time Posted: 1/31/2003 4:18:55 PM
Report on Zimbabweans crossing into South Africa
Agency reporting format/Missions/Conferences/Seminars/etc.
Agency: WFP
Event: WFP assessment of Zimbabwean migrants into RSAs Limpopo Province
Dates: 29-31 December 2002
Place: Limpopo Province border zone
Classified info: no
Main findings/conclusions of mission/conference/seminar:
(162)¢ The majority of migrants are young Zimbabweans of mostly employable age (18-30) although Home Affairs staff on the South African side report that there has been a marked increase in arrests of border jumpers in the 11 “ 18 years cohort.
(162)¢ Most migrants came from towns, and the primary reason cited for their crossing into South Africa was economic – a search for employment – fleeing a Zimbabwe where jobs are scarce and food short.
(162)¢ Because of deportations and persistent attempts by deportees to enter South Africa, short- and medium-term trends are not clear, although local farmers report increases in numbers coming from Zimbabwe to look for work on their farms over the past year.
(162)¢ Deportations of Zimbabweans illegally in South Africa are often circular, i.e., a person deported today will attempt re-entry tomorrow. The Army, which patrols the border zone and arrests illegals it encounters, and the Police, which arrests illegals deeper in the interior, as well as personnel of the Ministry of Home Affairs, broadly acknowledge that deportations are a small fraction of those actually crossing. Most months see in the order of 1,000 local deportees.
(162)¢ Local respondents claim that hundreds of people illegally cross the border daily. The border is porous, allowing people to cross at many points, and especially further west towards the Botswana border where there is no border fencing installed. The economic migrants issue has already become tri-national, as reliable observers report that Zimbabweans are attempting entry into South Africa via Botswana in large numbers.
(162)¢ Economic migrants without family or social links in South Africa often find their condition deteriorating rapidly, so that many end up as beggars or as criminals.
(162)¢ Some of these migrants have come long distances on foot, and upon arrival in South Africa, may go several days without food. Local residents recount that some of this number are fainting from hunger on doorsteps 115 km from the border, in the area of the town of Louis Trichardt. Security guards and fellow migrants at the municipal dump in Louis Trichardt report scores to hundreds of Zimbabwean migrants clandestinely resident at the dump and its vicinity, scavenging recyclable materials and consuming still-edible food items they may come across.
(162)¢ An estimated 50,000 Zimbabweans, both men and women, are currently employed on first-line farms along the South African side of the border. However, with South Africa planning on instituting a minimum-wage rates of 650 Rand/month for all residents to go into effect in March 2003, with a fine of 40,000 Rand for employment of illegal aliens, and with a tightening of immigration allowances also scheduled at that time, farmers acknowledge that they will have to down-staff.
(162)¢ The implication of the further deterioration of the Zimbabwe economy combined with the prospect of another drought is an increased flow of economic migrants from Zimbabwe into South Africa. In anticipation of possible influxes from the north, South African authorities are increasing patrols along their side of the border.
(162)¢ Expectations on the South African side are that when Zimbabweans households realize, toward February and March, that their harvest will again fail, numbers seeking to cross the border will dramatically increase.
(162)¢ Existing South African and Zimbabwean border administrative support capabilities (immigration and customs) would be strained in the event of a large-scale movement south. Formal staging areas in Zimbabwe are not large enough to accommodate any significant numbers, either on foot or via vehicle.
(162)¢ Beitbridge would quickly develop into major choke point for southbound traffic, which could force the allocation of portions of the northbound bridge capability “ both vehicular and pedestrian “ to relieve the congestion. This would quickly and severely reduce the effectiveness of this route as a logistics line of communication (LOC) for movement of food and other relief items from South Africa into Zimbabwe.
(162)¢ In the absence of a massive, coordinated, and efficient forward-movement transportation operation, the large, flat areas adjacent to the Beitbridge on the South African side could end up becoming a de-facto refugee camp.
(162)¢ The continuing drought increases the probability that the Limpopo river, still utterly dry at the time of the mission, will not fill this year. Individuals attempting to border jump will seek alternative crossing sites along it. This in turn will further complicate efforts to channel migrants away from the border, and into areas where support/transportation resources are available.
Important lessons for RIACSO:
Three scenarios are possible:
1. The numbers seeking to cross into South Africa do not increase significantly, but due to a lack of food at home, the condition of people on arrival is low.
2. Numbers not only increase substantially, but entire households, including young children, will move. This will severely tax South African authorities, since detention capacity now is limited to city jails and the Lindela Detention Camp in Gauteng Province.
3. Numbers increase dramatically, and because of fuel shortages, most walk for days before reaching the border. The condition of the young and elderly is particularly acute. Rather than permitting passage across the border, South African authorities fortify the troops and police presence, rendering the border relatively impermeable. Such a situation would require humanitarian intervention on the Zimbabwean side, with the establishment of formal camps and feeding centers.
Suggestions for RIACSO/inter-agency follow up actions:
The Mission recommends that ODJ/OCHA contact Dr. Mandele, the South African Home Affairs official charged with refugee affairs, to clarify what may be possible to accomplish on the South African side were Scenario 2 or 3 to occur.
Source: ZWNEWS.COM
URL: http://www.zwnews.com/wfp.docbr>