Our hands are clean—The Hawks

BRIAN SITHOLE

 

The South African Police Service (SAPS) says it has no recorded cases of human smuggling of migrants that flood Africa’s second biggest economy.

Earlier this month, Business Times released an investigative story, which unearthed how illegal immigrants from various countries are smuggled into South Africa via the Beitbridge Border Post as well as illegal crossing points such as the Limpopo River.

“The Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation – Limpopo does not have any cases of the smuggling of migrants for the past year” said South Africa Police Services’ Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (The Hawks) Head – Media liaison, Brigadier Thandi Mbambo while responding to questions from The Business Times.

She acknowledged that such cases might have been reported through other arms of the South African Police Services, although she was not privy to that.

Brigadier Mbambo added that all cases of corruption involving SAPS officers and immigration officers would also be dealt with.

Brigadier Mbambo’s comments followed an instruction from South African Police Services’ spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe for the Business Times to get in touch with The Hawks which she said deals with such issues.

Martha Shumba, a Zimbabwean now based in South Africa recounted how she skipped the border years ago with the aid of both Zimbabwean and South African authorities.

The story was also echoed by others who were interviewed by the publication who include bus drivers, cross border traders among others who all pointed to issues of corruption involving both the Zimbabwean and South African Police.

This story is published with support from the Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe (VMCZ) Investigative Journalism support programme.

 

 

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