Zim opens borders 

Source: Zim opens borders – NewsDay Zimbabwe

BY PRIVELEDGE GUMBODETE

GOVERNMENT yesterday officially opened the country’s land borders to travellers after they were closed at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Home Affairs minister Kazembe Kazembe yesterday made the announcement under general notice 421 of 2022, which notified relevant authorities of the new Statutory Instrument (SI) granting members of the public access to land borders.

Last month, Cabinet approved the reopening of the land borders but authorities at the ports of entry said they were still waiting for the necessary “administrative instruments”.

Part of Kazembe’s notice read: “The Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage hereby notifies every police officer, customs officer and immigration officer that entry and exit of persons into and out of Zimbabwe at all ports of entry and exit of persons into and out of Zimbabwe at all ports of entry and exit are permitted subject to the provisions of Statutory Instrument 18 of 2022, on Public Health (COVID-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) (Amendment) Order, 2022 (No. 40).”

After the country’s borders were closed in 2020 to contain the virus, only cargo transport and returning residents were allowed to pass through.

However, the prolonged closure of the country’s borders resulted in increased cases of border jumping, further straining relations between Zimbabwe and South Africa.