The government has made arrangements for the repatriation of 693 bodies of Zimbabweans who died in South Africa from natural causes during the lockdown.
This was confirmed by Zimbabwe’s Consul-General Melody Chaurira, who said her office had processed documents for the repatriation to be done.
The consul-general also revealed that relatives accompanying the deceased are now being subjected to mandatory quarantine before moving to their destinations. She said:
The repatriation process hasn’t changed and we stand guided by recommendations from our Ministry of Health and Child Care, which is part of the national response measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus.
Under the current system, all bodies being repatriated to Zimbabwe for burial will be treated as contagious except in cases where the cause of death is a road accident, murder or other body injuries.
Relatives accompanying the remains are now being subjected to mandatory quarantine at any port of entry upon arrival in the country before proceeding to the final destinations.
Chaurura said Zimbabweans who seek to travel home for personal emergencies or any other reason should note that they will have to undergo 21 days of mandatory quarantining upon arrival.
For a body to be repatriated from South Africa, the consulate needs a birth certificate or national identification documents of the deceased for documentation as well as clearance by the Ministry of Health and Child Care.