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Wallace Ruzvidzo

Herald Reporter

Government has dismissed with contempt false allegations being peddled by some media outlets that the South African Border Management Authority intercepted 443 unaccompanied Zimbabwean children in a suspected case of child trafficking on Sunday.

To clear the air, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister July Moyo in a statement today said neither the Zimbabwean or South African border authorities had received any official information about the 443 children as falsely alleged.

“The Ministry is concerned with information released by the South African Border Management Authority on the 3rd of December 2023 alleging that 443 unaccompanied Zimbabwean children below the age of 8 years were intercepted in South Africa on fears of child trafficking and were handed over to Zimbabwe Authorities.

“To the contrary, the two (2) Border Authorities on both the Zimbabwean and South African side have not received any official communication or confirmation on the alleged 443 children as reported in some publications,” he said.