Four Zimbabwean illegal immigrants drowned in the Limpopo River while attempting to cross into South Africa in separate incidents between Friday and Saturday, police have said.

The local police spokesperson, Inspector Tafanana Dzirutwe, said three men drowned on Friday, (20 February) at around 12:00 at an illegal crossing point near Panda mine, outside Beit Bridge town. The trio was amongst a group of eight illegal immigrants who intended to swim into South Africa.

“When they arrived at an illegal entry point near Panda mine, the three men were the first to enter the flooded Limpopo River. They drowned as a result, prompting the other five to turn back and report the incident to the police,” said Insp Dzirutwe.

The local police diver’s team was then deployed to the area and a thorough search for the victims’ bodies has since been conducted.

While the search for the bodies was underway, another suspected border jumper from Masvingo area also drowned in the same river while trying to cross to South Africa on Saturday, 21 Feb-ruary.

The body of the man, believed to be in his mid 30s, was discovered by some local fishermen where it was stuck in a tree in the river. They then alerted the police, who subsequently retrieved the body.

Insp Dzirutwe said police have since launched an awareness campaign aimed at discouraging people from crossing the border illegally.

“We have intensified joint border patrols with our South African counterparts along the Limpopo River in an effort to curb rampant border jumping activities, and again we also continue to warn people against using illegal crossing points to enter South Africa as they risk both drowning and prosecution,” said the police spokesperson.

Scores of Zimbabwean illegal immigrants continue to flock into the country daily as they flee economic hardships back home.

The department of Home Affairs at Beit Bridge border post has, however, also intensified the deportation of illegal immigrants.

On being deported, the border jumpers are taken to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Centre in Beit Bridge where they are then offered food and free transport to travel to their respective homes, but the majority of them shun the humanitarian assistance as they opt to cross back to South Africa illegally.