Zim aliens still flow in - cops
30/01/2006 16:21  - (SA)  

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Johannesburg - South African authorities have confirmed reports showing that the massive influx of illegal immigrants into the country shows no signs of abating.

About 2 386 illegal immigrants had been arrested by the South African police since December 29, said Ronel Otto of Limpopo police on Monday.

The border-jumpers entered the country through the various border posts, including Beit Bridge, Pontdrift, Grobler's Bridge and Stokpoort.

A Zimbabwean newspaper reported that about 100 Zimbabweans crossed the border daily in search of jobs.

Otto said most of those arrested in the past month were Zimbabweans. Occasionally, citizens from Bangladesh, Somalia or Pakistan also would try to jump the borders.

Many were also repeat offenders.

Otto said 753 illegal immigrants were arrested between January 5 and January 12, an average of 100 a day.

'Full river, fewer aliens'

The rainy season often saw fewer immigrants entering the country as the Limpopo River was flooding, making the crocodile-infested waters more hazardous than usual.

"When the river is full, numbers are down," said the South African National Defence Force's Colonel Gert Faul.

Otto said Zimbabweans trying to escape economic hardship in their own country often waded across the river, which was only full for two or three months in a year.

The Herald said syndicates operating at Beit Bridge used South African-registered vehicles to transport people from as far as Bulawayo to Johannesburg for between R800 and R1 000.

The immigrants were dropped on the Zimbabwean side of the Limpopo River where they used a metal walkway under the Limpopo Bridge.

Joint operations with other countries

Once the illegal immigrants got to no-man's land, they used a rope tied to the tiers of the bridge to lower themselves to the river banks.

They then walked along the fence until they found an opening. After walking through the bush, a transporter would pick them up at an agreed meeting point.

Otto said police often conducted special operations with members from other units and, at times, joined forces with Zimbabwean and Botswana police at borders.

She said: "Policing is quite sufficient at the moment, although this is a vast border to patrol."

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