The repatriation of eight Zimbabwean children who are being kept at a place of safety in Rustenburg in the North West is set to take place on Tuesday as scheduled.
This follows the dismissal of an urgent application by the children’s parents to seek an order from the High Court in Pretoria to prohibit officials from deporting the children to the Zimbabwean capital, Harare.
The children aged between two and 14 were found undocumented in a truck in Rustenburg last November. It is believed they were travelling to Cape Town to visit their parents for the Christmas holidays.
Social Development Department spokesperson Lumka Oliphant says the ruling has been welcomed.
“Judgement is a victory for all the children whose decisions are made on their behalf and cannot speak on themselves. South African government, through the Department of Social Development, has always maintained that every decision is made in the best interest of the child. The Department and all our partners are ready to repatriate the children. We want to thank the SAPS, in particular we have to thank the officials of Social Development in South Africa, especially social workers for looking after the children throughout the duration of the time, and also the Family Advocates.”
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