The official Herald newspaper quoted Dennis Chitsaka, chief immigration officer at Beitbridge border post, as saying several exiled teachers and nurses were making enquiries at the Zimbabwean embassy in South Africa on the repatriation process.

Chitsaka said immigration officials have since February cleared an average of 50 to 60 nurses and teachers issued with repatriation certificates from South Africa in a week.

“Since the formation of the inclusive government we have recorded a sharp increase in arrivals from South Africa, with the majority of them being teachers and nurses. We believe the number will increase in the next few weeks since the majority of Zimbabweans are still making inquiries on the repatriation process with our embassy in that country,” said the immigration officer.

There has also been a corresponding in the total number of Zimbabweans returning from South Africa since President Robert Mugabe formed a unity government with former opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai on February 13.

More than 81,700 Zimbabweans returned in February, up from 70,614 during the previous month.

There are an estimated two million Zimbabweans resident in South Africa, most of them economic refugees who fled Zimbabwe’s humanitarian crisis.

Source: APA