Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe has said police are investigating reports of rampant smuggling of goods across the border with South Africa.
Kazembe said the government is aware of some videos and pictures circulating on social media purporting to show the smuggling.
He said the videos are incredible as they give a picture of a flooded Limpopo River when in truth, most parts of the river in the Beitbridge area are dry. Kazembe said:
We have come across clips from unrelated incidents, and even some from out of the country, which are circulated for purposes of mischief.
While the ones circulating about possible smuggling of goods, it’s important to check if this is recent or it’s from way back given that while people appear to be crossing a river full of water, most parts, if not all, of the Limpopo in the Beitbridge area are actually dry right now with no water at all.
Nonetheless, police are taking the matter seriously and are seized with investigations.
Last week a picture of a boat smuggling a Delta Beverages opaque beer product Chibuku Super into South Africa went viral on social media.
In another picture, a member of the South African National Defence Force is shown shoeing a group of Zimbabweans back across the Limpopo River.
Some Beitbridge residents and villagers are fearful that the illicit cross-border activities are exposing them to the coronavirus.