Zim government planning to bring citizens struck in SA back home

Zim government planning to bring citizens struck in SA back home. The government is planning to repatriate citizens and permanent residents who could not return from South Africa due to lockdowns and travel bans which were implemented to curb the spread of coronavirus. Counsellor Martin Makururu said. NewsDay reports that the Embassy of Zimbabwe in South Africa indicated in a letter dated April 13, 2020, that it was now liaising with the head office in Harare on the possibility of repatriating those who were willing back to Zimbabwe.

While consultations with the head office in Harare are underway, the embassy will continue with efforts to come up with a comprehensive evaluation of the situation on the ground as it develops.Citizens and permanent residents who choose to exercise the option of returning to Zimbabwe during the lockdown period are expected to go into compulsory quarantine for a period of 21 days (three weeks.)The Counsellor also said that South Africa has allowed for “voluntary orderly” repatriation of foreign nationals to their countries of origin.

South Africa extended the national lockdown to the end of April making it harder for some foreigners who were not prepared to stay there longer. Meanwhile, the move can be risky since coronavirus has rapidly spread in South Africa.

Source – NewsDay