14 Feb 2024

From 2021 to 2023, Zimbabwean nationals made 98 per cent of the total number of illegal immigrants into Botswana.

Minister of Labour and Home Affairs, Ms Anna Mokgethi said it translated into 13 189 out of 13 489 illegal immigrants into the country during that period, and that the numbers increased annually as there were 3 278 irregulars in 2021, 4 751 in 2022 and 5 150 in 2023.

The minister said she was aware of the problem and that ‘some of these irregular immigrants are involved in crimes such as murder, rape and robbery’.

Ms Mokgethi said currently there was no agreement between Botswana and Zimbabwe on the usage of identity cards as travel documents.

“Government is still looking into the feasibility of operationalisation of this initiative, and this includes looking into associated process and requirement for international travel inline with the International Civil Aviation Organisation standards (ICAO),” she said.

Ms Mokgethi said the ICAO recognised travel documents as passports or other documents of identity that satisfied such as may be prescribed.

She further said national identity cards that met the prescribed requirements would qualify for use as travel documents as they facilitated safe, orderly and regular migration.

Regarding the number and types of crimes committed by illegal immigrants, Ms Mokgethi said her ministry had the responsibility of manning and securing borders in collaboration with other law enforcement and border agencies.

“My ministry and these relevant agencies undertake scheduled joint border patrols targeting ungazetted points of entry where irregular immigrants gain entry.

We also conduct anti-crime operations on a quarterly basis targeting irregular immigrants to curb crime,” she said.

Ms Mokgethi also said that they continued to come up with strategies to strengthen security along the borders to curb incidents of illegal entry.

Member of Parliament for Nata-Gweta, Mr Polson Majaga had asked the minister if she was aware of an influx of illegal immigrants, especially Zimbabwean citizens and whether she was aware of heinous crimes they committed.

Mr Majaga also enquired whether it was true that government was considering the use of national identity cards instead of passports as travel documents between the two countries.

He further wanted to know the number and types of crimes these nationals had committed and whether it was not time to strengthen security at borders and to monitor ungazetted points of entry. ENDS