Zim Immigrants Pay R100 to Cross Border to SA in Boats

According to various reports, illegal Zimbabwean immigrants, have now started paying people with dinghies to take them across the Limpopo river in an attempt to cross the border into South Africa.

The ‘business’ of taking people across the river from Zimbabwe has been picking up significantly, according to sources.

The Limpopo river is infested with crocodiles, and often one hears of illegal immigrants being attacked or killed by the crocodiles while trying to get into South Africa.

Now, it seems, immigrants are making use of people with dinghies (small, inflatable boats) to cross the river – at a fee, of course.

One boat owner that has been making frequent trips across the Limpopo river, said that he charges R100 per trip to take the immigrants from Zimbabwe to South Africa.

However, he said that he has had to increase the price of the transfer, as the demand for Zimbabweans wishing to be delivered to the South African border has increased tremendously.

Smugglers of various illegal goods have also started to use these small boats to transport their wares into South Africa.

According to reports, one smuggler drowned in the Limpopo river last week, while trying to save his small boat that was loaded with illegal chicken meat, intended for South Africa.

Because of the increase in illegal immigrants from Zimbabwe, the South African authorities have said that they will start to make use of drones to better monitor and secure the border between Zimbabwe and South Africa, especially over the Limpopo river.