South Africans detained in Zimbabwe face deportation

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Zimbabwean authorities have detained several South African nationals in Harare Remand Prison for breaching immigration laws and are holding them pending deportation.

While some of the South Africans are facing deportation, the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) says three South African men face trial in Zimbabwe on charges of conspiracy to commit armed robbery.

Meanwhile, the ZHRC reports that a Zimbabwean court has convicted a South African woman of dealing in dangerous drugs and sentenced her to 10 years in jail.

Certified South Africans cleared for deportation

ZHRC chairperson Jessie Majome told IOL that officials had confirmed six men at Harare Remand Prison as South African nationals.

She said they were now ready for deportation following verification by South Africa’s High Commission.

However, she said the South African diplomatic mission told Zimbabwean authorities that an elderly seventh man is not a South African citizen. As a result, Zimbabwe officials will not deport him to SA.

Concerns over treatment of foreign detainees

Majome said she visited the prison and found 66 foreign nationals held in the men’s section.

“It is an issue of concern to the Commission because it involves a special category of people who should not be in prison,” she said.

She stressed that authorities should not treat people arrested for irregular immigration like suspects awaiting trial, even though the offence is illegal.