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14 Zimbabwean Children Detained In Botswana

6 months agoTue, 24 Sep 2024 09:18:28 GMT
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14 Zimbabwean Children Detained In Botswana

A total of 14 school-age children from Tsholotsho District in Matabeleland North Province are reportedly being held in Botswana after being intercepted by authorities on August 10 while en route to South Africa.

The children were being transported by a cross-border operator and did not have legal documentation.

The children attend Mahole and Hondola primary schools, as well as Mavela, Tshithatshawa, and John Landa secondary schools in Tsholotsho District, with the youngest among them enrolled in Early Childhood Development (ECD).

One mother told the Chronicle that she paid ZAR 1,000 to transport her child to South Africa without a passport. She said:

My child was intercepted in Botswana while coming for a visit to South Africa where I work. I have gone there countless times to try and secure her release but it’s hard.

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They even ordered us to do DNA tests to prove that we were the parents. When we go there, we are not allowed to see the children as authorities say we will traumatise them.

The woman said that the case was taken to court, and the children were handed over to Botswana’s social welfare department in Tutume, near Maitengwe Territory.

Parents are increasingly concerned that their children are missing valuable class time since school opened two weeks ago, particularly those in exam classes who may miss their final examinations.

What pains the parents the most is that they are not allowed to see their children and have no knowledge of their living conditions.

Former Tsholotsho Rural District Council chairperson and Ward 9 councillor Esau Siwela has appealed to the government for assistance in bringing the children back home. Said Siwela:

The parents approached me as most of them are from my ward. I took them to the Registrar’s Office in Tsholotsho where they got all documents proving that they are the biological parents of the children.

They did affidavits at Tsholotsho Police Station to enable them to travel to Botswana. When we got to Botswana they took all the papers we had prepared.

They also did interviews with the parents and did DNA tests. We returned home and were called after three days but when we got there they said some parents did not submit their documents, which delayed the process.

This issue needs to be resolved soon as the children may not be able to recover lost time at school. Those in final year exam classes will have serious challenges. My appeal is to the Government to help bring our children home.

Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage permanent secretary Raphael Tayerera Faranisi said that such matters are managed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as they involve another country.

Efforts by the publication to reach Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Michael Mukura for comment were unsuccessful; he did not answer phone calls or respond to messages.

More: Pindula News

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12 Comments

skun · 6 months ago
had they not been intercepted those children's future was done and dusted..people don't learn for real..no documents don't travel..you damage the kids future..all those parents that paid for smuggling their kids should be jailed for their negligence.. trafficking is real and has many dangerous people involved...
shellaz · 6 months ago
nhema John Landa secondary xool hakuna zvakadaro ndaiva nehead wacho zuro Mr I Guri
Anonymous · 6 months ago
Macimbi ahana kubuda gore RINO akashurwa ne Bullet Train yaChamisa ,Gweru to Byo yakatakura macimbi nematohwe.kkkkkk MOTi mvura ingana pakadaro.
Private Investigator · 6 months ago
Nonsense parents. How much does it cost to apply for a passport? You pay R 1000 for an unknown smuggler to smuggle your child into South Africa. Clever parent: how much have you spent now on top of the R1000 yakadyiwa zvayo na Malaytsha. Do the math to see that you have spent more money than what was required to get your child a passport.
??? · 6 months ago
haa ma1 kana pane ma candidates amana missing exams ma horror chaiwo
Anonymous · 6 months ago
Guatemala passport is $4 our passport is $170. That's zanupf listening president. Zim passports to apply in SA is $250.
Mhofu · 6 months ago
Zvirinani udzoke kumusha kana usinga kwanisi passport ye us250, unenge uri diaspora dondo
Anonymous · 6 months ago
Iyo ichidhurirei kudaro. Hupambi hwacho mawhani . Pasi nevapambepfumi varikutitonga
Anonymous · 6 months ago
Aaa ini ndiri Nheni munofunga kuti mariyose iyoyo ndowana kupi. Varume matshona vaakuomera mazuvano havacha bhadhari vajaira maXhosa anovabhadhara. Samutoko wangu akaenda numuXhosa teacher.
jojo · 6 months ago
Your Leader needs the money to feed his 17 children and his useless hangerson squad of geriatrics who cannot even think.
jah · 6 months ago
sometimes taking risks is good but be prepared when things takes another way.
Heads-Up · 6 months ago
thank you for contributing to this issue

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