FRANCISTOWN — Matsiloje Police Station commander Superintendent Obert Manji says he is worried about the high number of illegal Zimbabwean immigrants entering Botswana.
Report by Mmegi Monitor
Manji said in the first quarter of the year, which is from January to March 8, they had recorded a total of 192 illegal immigrants made up of 126 men and 56 women.
He said the numbers were increasing daily and others were hard to trace because they evaded the police.
“This is a great concern in my policing area because they come here in large numbers and when they are here, they are capable of doing anything,” Manji said.
He said the illegal immigrants tended to resort to committing crimes, especially in the cities.
“They go to the cities such as Francistown to steal electronic gadgets such as plasma screens which they sell back home in Zimbabwe,” Manji said.
“We are faced with a huge problem this side and they use the (Plumtree) border to cross into Botswana illegally. “They get dropped off by cars along the border fence and then the driver crosses legally at the border gate.”
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He said people without travel documents sneaked through the porous border between Zimbabwe and Botswana.
“They use the area between Matsiloje and Robelela to cross the border and some are even harboured by Batswana because they have relatives from Zimbabwe who stay here illegally,” Manji said. Batswana who harbour illegal immigrants are fined P1 000 for the offence.
The police appealed to the public to assist in reducing the number of illegal immigrants in the country.
“Hiring illegal immigrants is an offence which people should refrain from,” he warned.
Botswana deports thousands of Zimbabweans every year who travel into the neighbouring country searching for menial jobs.
Bostwana does not require visas from Zimbabweans.
