Zimbabwe migrants 'flood' neighbour

Crops have failed across Zimbabwe

Botswana is unable to cope with the massive flow of illegal immigrants from Zimbabwe, says the head of its immigration service.

Roy Sekgororwane told the French news agency, AFP, that Botswana was sending back 1,600 people every month to Zimbabwe.

We are now repatriating two truckloads of illegal immigrants from Zimbabwe every day

Roy Sekgororwane, Botswana's chief immigration officer

Its detention centres are full to capacity but a large number of people are never caught, he said.

Botswana and South Africa are the richest countries in the region and both are magnets for people fleeing the food shortages, political instability and economic meltdown in Zimbabwe.

South Africa also regularly repatriates illegal immigrants to Zimbabwe.

In both countries, they seek work as domestic servants or farm labourers.

'Losing battle'

The region which borders Botswana, Matabeleland, is among the worst hit by the food shortages faced by up to half of Zimbabwe's population, some seven million people.

It is also a stronghold of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change and people there say they are refused food aid from the government and are persecuted for their ethnic group and political beliefs.

South Africa is also struggling to cope with Zimbabwean emigrants

"We are seriously losing our battle to deal with this problem. This is the worst immigration problem we have ever seen in this country," Mr Sekgororwane said.

Some 125,000 Zimbabweans legally enter Botswana every week, according to a recent estimate but Mr Sekgororwane says many stay behind after their travel permits expire.

"We are now repatriating two truckloads of illegal immigrants from Zimbabwe every day, and this costs the government a lot of money," he said.

But the head of Botswana's immigration service admits that this is no long-term solution.

"What has happened is that, to some of them (Zimbabweans), it is like a joke. They just drop their things upon repatriation and come back," Mr Sekgororwane said.