Current:Home > ScamsSouth Africa intercepts buses carrying more than 400 unaccompanied children from Zimbabwe-LoTradeCoin
South Africa intercepts buses carrying more than 400 unaccompanied children from Zimbabwe
View Date:2024-12-23 20:22:37
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Border officials in South Africa say they have intercepted dozens of buses carrying more than 400 young children from Zimbabwe without parents or legal guardians in an anti-trafficking operation.
The officials say the children were being “trafficked” into South Africa, although an organization representing foreign nationals living in South Africa says it’s likely the children were being sent to visit their parents, who are working in South Africa, for the end of year holidays. The buses were sent back to Zimbabwe.
More than 1 million Zimbabweans live in South Africa, many of them illegally, having moved to their southern neighbor over the past 15 years to escape Zimbabwe’s economic turmoil.
South African Border Management Agency commissioner Mike Masiapato said Sunday that South African police stopped and searched 42 buses entering from Zimbabwe on Saturday night and found 443 children under the age of 8 traveling unaccompanied.
“We denied them entry and activated the Zimbabwean officials to process them back into Zimbabwe,” Masiapato said.
The buses were allowed through on the Zimbabwean side of the Beitbridge border post, South African border officials said.
Ngqabutho Mabhena, chairperson of the Africa Diaspora Forum, which represents foreign nationals living in South Africa, said his organization believed the buses were carrying Zimbabwean children coming to South Africa to visit their parents, which is a regular phenomenon near the end of the year. He said it is common that children are sent over the border without proper documentation allowing them to travel as unaccompanied minors.
“We always tell Zimbabwean parents living in South Africa that if they arrange for their children to come to South Africa, they must ... arrange all necessary documentation,” Mabhena said. “It is irresponsible for parents to let children travel without passports and to travel with strangers. We have addressed this with parents.”
Around 178,000 Zimbabweans live and work in South Africa legally under an exemption permit, but a 2022 South African census said there were more than a million Zimbabweans in the country. Some estimates say there may be as many as 3 million.
South Africa, which is Africa’s most advanced economy, launched a new border force in October to clamp down on illegal immigration from Zimbabwe and other countries.
___
AP Africa news: Africa News Reports ' Latest News in Africa ' AP News
veryGood! (84)
Related
- Utah AD Mark Harlan fined $40,000 for ripping referees and the Big 12 after loss to BYU
- How 'The Crown' ends on Netflix: Does it get to Harry and Meghan? Or the queen's death?
- How to watch 'Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God,' the docuseries everyone is talking about
- Andre Braugher died from lung cancer, rep for ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ and ‘Homicide’ star says
- Jimmy Kimmel, more late-night hosts 'shocked' by Trump Cabinet picks: 'Goblins and weirdos'
- Eddie Murphy reprises role as Axel Foley in 'Beverly Hills Cop 4.' Watch the Netflix trailer.
- Tesla car recalls 2023: Check the full list of vehicle models recalled this year
- See Gigi Hadid, Zoë Kravitz and More Stars at Taylor Swift's Birthday Party
- 2024 'virtually certain' to be warmest year on record, scientists say
- Elon Musk plans to launch a university in Austin, Texas
Ranking
- Philadelphia mass transit users face fare hikes of more than 20% and possible service cuts
- COP28 climate summit OK's controversial pact that gathering's leader calls historic
- Does driving or grocery shopping make you anxious? Your eyes may be the problem.
- Jill Biden releases White House Christmas video featuring tap dancers performing The Nutcracker
- 'I know how to do math': New Red Lobster CEO says endless shrimp deal is not coming back
- Live updates | As fighting rages in Gaza, a US envoy is set to meet with the Palestinian president
- Shooting of Palestinian college students came amid spike in gun violence in Vermont
- Four days after losing 3-0, Raiders set franchise scoring record, beat Chargers 63-21
Recommendation
-
Walmart Planned to Remove Oven Before 19-Year-Old Employee's Death
-
Trevor Noah returns to host 2024 Grammy Awards for 4th year in a row
-
Israeli president speaks against 2-state solution ahead of meeting with U.S security chief
-
Elon Musk plans to launch a university in Austin, Texas
-
Can I take on 2 separate jobs in the same company? Ask HR
-
Basketball star Candace Parker, wife Anna Petrakova expecting second child together
-
Americans agree that the 2024 election will be pivotal for democracy, but for different reasons
-
Alaska governor’s budget plan includes roughly $3,400 checks for residents and deficit of nearly $1B