"We'll Never Close Zimbabwe - Beitbridge Border," - South Africa

South Africa’s Minister of Home Affairs, Aaron Motsoaledi has said that his country will never close the Zimbabwe-South Africa border, Beitbridge despite the prevalence of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in South Africa.

The remarks come when South Africa has closed 35 of its 53 land borders over the coronavirus pandemic. Motsoaledi said:

We have only one border post with Zimbabwe – Beitbridge. We will never close that one. It’s the gateway to the rest of the continent.

South Africa announced on Sunday that coronavirus cases had jumped to 51 from 38 on Friday with reports suggesting that the affected had travelled to Iran, UK, Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands and or Austria.

On Saturday, 114 South Africans who were residing in Wuhan, China were repatriated and quarantined in the Ranch Resort in Polokwane, Limpopo which is close to Beitbridge.

The virus emerged in Wuhan, China in December last year and has now spread to over 150 countries killing more than 6000 people.

More: NewsDay