Times Of Swaziland: 2 WOMEN HIDING IN SA TRUCK ARRESTED AT BORDER

2 WOMEN HIDING IN SA TRUCK ARRESTED AT BORDER
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BY MBONGISENI NDZIMANDZE  on 03/04/2020 00:58:00


MBABANE - Amid the rising cases of coronavirus infections in South Africa, two
returning Eswatini women were arrested at Ngwenya Border Gate.
The two women, who are their 20s, were found hidden behind the driver’s seat
of a truck which was transporting sanitisers from the Republic of South Africa
to the Kingdom of Eswatini.  They were discovered by the police at the border
gate during a search of the truck.
Visit
When questioned by the police, they reportedly disclosed that they left the
country in January 2020, to visit their mother who stays in Gauteng in the
Republic of South Africa.
It should be noted that the Gauteng government recently stated that it was
concerned that the province has the highest number of coronavirus infections in
the Republic of South Africa.
The two women, who are siblings, are said to have informed the law enforcers
that they got a lift from the truck driver in Gauteng and the reason to hide in
the truck was because they had overstayed in the neighbouring country. The truck
driver, who is also liSwati and is employed by a South African company, was also
arrested and charged for contravening the Immigration Act.
The driver was charged for assisting the duo to enter the country illegally  and
he paid E400 admission of guilt while his co- accused (two women) were slapped
with a charge of contravening the country’s Immigration Act. They also both
paid E400 as admission of guilt.
A source close to the matter said the trio was lucky not to be charged under the
new Coronavirus (COVID-19) Regulations of 2020 which are part of the Disaster
Management Act of 2006.
“The driver  ought to have been charged with people smuggling  but it seems
the law enforcers took it into consideration that he was transporting goods that
are categorised under essentials,” said the  impeccable source.
Screening
Regulation 16(1) provides that: “Travelling in and out of the Kingdom of
Eswatini is prohibited save for essential travel. It also stipulates that, a
returning national or resident shall be subjected to screening and self-
isolation for a period of 14 days upon entry.
Meanwhile, Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent
Phindile Vilakati said upon arrest, the women were screened for the COVID- 19
and later released after paying an admission of guilt.  She said they advised
the duo to self- isolate at home and that they would be monitored.
Information gathered was that when the truck driver arrived at Ngwenya he
underwent the screening processs.