33 Undocumented Children Intercepted at Beitbridge: Two Nationals Charged

IOL Two Zimbabwean nationals accused of facilitating the illegal cross-border movement of minor children have briefly appeared before the Musina Magistrate’s Court following the interception of another large group of undocumented minors at the Beitbridge Port of Entry. According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Mashudu Malabi, Decent Chokuwamba, 32, and Risenga Makhenza, 23, are facing charges of aiding illegal immigrants and contravening immigration laws. “It is alleged that on January 13, 2026, at the Beitbridge Port of Entry, the accused were apprehended by Border Management Authority (BMA) officials while allegedly loading 33 undocumented minor children into a Toyota Quantum, with the intention of departing the Republic of South Africa to Zimbabwe,” Malabi said. The children, aged between four and 15, were travelling without valid documentation and were immediately handed over to the Department of Social Development for care and further processing in line with child-protection protocols. “The accused were subsequently arrested, and the matter has been postponed to January 22 2026 for the profiling of the accused, and they remain in custody,” Malabi said. The case follows heightened concern at the Beitbridge border post after the Border Management Authority intercepted more than 20 undocumented minors near the Limpopo River last week, close to the same port of entry. Those children, aged between five and 17, were also believed to have been en-route from South Africa to Zimbabwe. Among that group were 10 adults, but preliminary verification revealed that only one adult was the parent of one child, while the rest of the minors were travelling without their parents. BMA Commissioner Michael Masiapato previously warned that the Authority would not tolerate crimes involving children. “The Border Management Authority will not tolerate the exploitation of children or the facilitation of illegal cross-border movement. We remain committed to protecting the integrity of our borders while upholding human rights and child protection principles,” Masiapato said. Investigations are ongoing as authorities tighten border controls in response to what they describe as a growing pattern of child exploitation and illegal migration at the Beitbridge crossing.