South Africa records a macabre milestone for Covid-19 as humanitarian crisis unfolds on Zimbabwe border

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Covid cases have risen to unprecedented levels since the beginning of the year and the government has announced plans to roll out a vaccine program this month.

South Africa is one of the hardest-hit African countries, with more than a million cases and 31,368 dead, as of Wednesday.

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize announced on Thursday that the country will receive 1.5 million Covid-19 vaccines from the Serum Institute of India.

The minister said the first million doses will arrive this month, and the rest will be delivered in February. Priority will be given to the more than one million South African public and private sector health workers in the first round of inoculations.

At the same time, there are further fears of a humanitarian crisis on the country’s border with Zimbabwe, where hundreds of workers have been blocked after a national closure banning cross-border travel by the Zimbabwean government.

Hundreds of returning residents faced chaotic scenes as authorities delayed the cleaning of travelers, most of whom had traveled for the Christmas holidays.

Video footage and images of Zimbabweans sleeping on the border have sparked outrage on social media as the Zimbabwean government downplayed the crisis.

Zimbabwe Information Secretary Nick Mangwana told CNN: “There is no situation. There is no problem on the South African side. The Zimbabweans who are there have wanted to exceed the deadline and the majority of them were cleaned up on Tuesday at 3 p.m. ”

Zimbabwe's health care system overflowed as the country began a new strict closure, doctors say

South African Home Secretary Aaron Motsoaledi admitted, however, that a humanitarian crisis was being prepared on the Beitbridge border.

“It is clear that a humanitarian crisis is developing. I have seen the photographs. People are trying to escape the harsh closure of Zimbabwe and the tone of stay there,” Motsoaledi said.

The slow pace of passenger authorization and the verification of their Covid-19 certificates by South African authorities has caused frustration among Zimbabwean immigrants.

Some passengers, including truck drivers, have been trapped for four days without food or shelter, local media reported.

The government responded to the second wave of infections by moving the country to blockade level 3 on December 28, imposing stricter restrictions on social gatherings and banning alcohol.

They also enforced the mandatory wearing of face masks.

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