BUS operators involved in repatriation of Zimbabwean nationals from South Africa are now required to obtain clearance from the Zimbabwean consulate in Cape Town and Johannesburg two days before departure.
By Michael Gwarisa
Briefing Journalists during a post cabinet media briefing, Information and broadcasting services minister, Senator Monica Mutsvangwa said, “In order to enable the smooth flow of returnees at the Beitbridge Border Post, the Embassy of Zimbabwe in South Africa has drawn up Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). All bus operators involved in the repatriation of Zimbabwean nationals from South Africa are required to obtain clearance from the respective Zimbabwean Consulate in Cape Town and Johannesburg two (2) days before departure.
The bus operators should provide full names of all passengers; passport or temporary travel document numbers of the passengers; vehicle and trailer registration details; final destination in Zimbabwe and the identification details of the drivers. Both passengers and bus crews should have COVID-19 negative certificates from a registered laboratory and obtained within 48 hours from departure. Bus operators must ensure that passengers have requisite travel documents before purchasing tickets. A maximum of five buses will be cleared per day.”
Zimbabwe has now recorded 8 362 confirmed COVID-19 cases compared to the eight thousand four hundred and seventy-one (8 471) reported last week. The recovery rate is 94.2 per cent.New cases for week 44 stood at 109, compared to 105 in week 43.
“A total of five thousand six hundred (5 600) PCR tests were conducted during the reporting period compared to five thousand four hundred and fifty-seven (5 457) tests carried out the previous week.”
Speaking on schools reopening, she said under primary and secondary education, the attendance of learners was 51.8%, while that of teachers is 25.7%. For the final examination classes, learner attendance was 42%, while the national average on teacher availability marginally increased from 27.16% to 27.77%.
“While Government has supported with PPEs, it is expected that parents and/or guardins provide masks to their school going children. Cabinet resolved to continue engaging all neighbouring countries to synchronise the movement of vehicular and pedestrian traffic between the countries pending the re-opening of the country’s major Ports of Entry and Exit on 1 December, 2020.
