COVID-19: Returnees from SA to be quarantined at provincial centres

By Thupeyo Muleya

An estimated 3 000 Zimbabweans who may soon be evacuated from South Africa are going to be screened at Beitbridge Border Post before being transported to quarantine centres in the country’s 10 provinces.

Initially, the Government had planned to keep them in Beitbridge at various proposed centres, but changes were made this week following stakeholder consultations by the COVID19 task teams.

The NSSA Hotel which is being used as a quarantine and isolation centre for Beitbridge can accommodate only 400 people while the two boarding schools Zezani and Tongwe which had been proposed to take the other immigrants can accommodate 250 and 280 each.

Beitbridge District Medical Officer, Dr Lenos Samhere revealed the changes to the local district development committee today.

“The returnees coming from South Africa will now be screened and documented in Beitbridge then they will be escorted to their provinces as they come.

“Official communication to this effect will follow,” he said.

However, it is not clear how many Zimbabweans will be evacuated from South Africa though information from the Consulate in

Johannesburg indicates that 3 055 have registered with them for various forms of assistance. Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Pretoria, Mr David Hamadziripi said they were yet to know the exact numbers of those who will be brought home. The Herald