By Rex Mphisa
BEITBRIDGE civil servants sow, others reap.
That is the situation faced by Government workers at the Beitbridge Reception Centre where civil servants from other parts of the country are harvesting the fruits sowed by those stationed at the order town with nothing to show for their hard work.
The civil servants have toiled since day one but allowances have been advanced to those who came from other stations when all the groundwork had been done.
In an exclusive interview with Ziyah News Network Women’s Affairs Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Monica Mutsvangwa said she heard of the situation and was going to advise President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
“I heard the situation and it is saddening. I am going to advise President Mnangagwa when I go to Cabinet tomorrow, I heard about it,” she said.
Mutswangwa was in Beitbridge accompanying UNFPA Country Representative, Miranda Tabifor (on behalf of participating UN Agencies), who visited Beitbridge on Monday and described the work at the centre as brilliant.
As the situation of returnees abruptly unfolded at Beitbridge local civil servants commonly called “team Beitbridge” took positions and diligently got on top of the situation while national interventions were underway.
“The earlier situation was saddening, it involved people who had lived in the bush after fleeing their homes when even their landlords rose up against them. They had the most depressing stories, no clothes to wear, nothing but just horror tales. We had to put up with that at times even use our own cash,” said a civil servant in confidence.
“Later others from other stations were deployed but the initial and most difficult stage had been covered but those came and have been getting allowances which we have not received despite giving our all. Its like we worked and some got paid.”
Close to 40 000 Zimbabweans forced out of South Africa have passed through Beitbridge Reception Centre.
Most of these have depressing stories and most civil servants might require counselling after days of hearing heart rending tales including some from witnesses of cruelty by vigilantes who enforced their March and March expulsion of foreigners.