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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau

Business nearly came to a standstill at Beitbridge Border Post on Wednesday morning when a suspected illegal migrant slipped and fell into the crocodile-infested Limpopo River, while walking on an engineer’s track under the Alfred Beit-Bridge (Old Limpopo Bridge).

The bridge is 540 meters long and the woman fell into the water when she was halfway through around 9am.

Travellers gathered on the New Limpopo Bridge to catch a glimpse of the woman as she laboured to escape from the crocodiles.

The unidentified migrant was among a group of border jumpers heading to South Africa.

According to one border official, the border jumper managed to cross to South Africa.

“It was just her lucky day as that place is infested with crocodiles and sometimes hippopotamuses,” said the source.

Limpopo police spokesperson, Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe, could not be reached for comment yesterday.

However, he said that they had recently launched a festive season operation named “Zizo Jika Izinto” (Things will change) to combat crimes including illegal immigrants, drug peddlers, smugglers, armed robbers, illegal firearms, and those operating shebeens.

Col Ngoepe said the police hit the ground running from November 16 and that they will continue up to early next year.

Nearly 4 000 people have since been arrested for various offences in Limpopo province.

The people were nabbed for crimes including murder, attempted murder, business and house robberies, rapes and sexual assault, burglaries, assaults, and possession of unlicensed firearms.