Six children smuggled from Plumtree, Zimbabwe enroute to South Africa 20 days ago, were finally reunited with their mothers this Wednesday at the Francistown Magistrate’s Court.
The four girls and two boys aged between eight and 17 years heading to the “City of Gold” visiting their fathers and aunties were intercepted by police at Orapa junction roadblock on November 27 2025. The unaccompanied children were aboard a blue plated combi headed to Francistown.
During a court hearing before Principal Magistrate Tshepo Magetse, the children narrated their journey until they landed in the hands of the police.
“From Zimbabwe we travelled in a van and when we got to the Botswana border, we crossed the fence together with Sdu-the older man who was taking us to South Africa. We then walked across the river until we got to the van which we were travelling in. From Maitengwe border we travelled for a very long distance before we dropped off and gotten into the kombi,” narrated the 17-year-old girl.
“Just before the stadium police stopped the combi we were in and asking for papers. They then asked us for our papers and we told them we do not have. The police told us to get down. Next, they took us to the police station,” she continued.
The teenager told court that the cops did not ill-treat or hurt them in any way.
“We were tired, hungry and thirsty. It is the police who fed us, when we got to the police station. The police were friendly.”
Of the six minors, some are siblings, while others are related but from different families.
Tati Town Police would then hand over the children to Francistown City Council two hours later. Once in the custody of social workers, the school going children were taken to a safe house, while investigations kicked in to trace their parents back in Zimbabwe.
Two days later, the parents were traced and crossed into Botswana with birth certificates of the children. DNA tests were conducted to determine the biological relationship of the children and parents.
“Samples for DNA tests were done on the 29th November, but the results took long. This is the reason for the delay in reuniting the parents with the children. This also meant for us to approach the courts to legally release the custody of the children from the social welfare to their mothers,” explained Sergeant Motlhanke, Gender and Child Protection Officer.
Magistrate Magetse cautioned the parents of the minors to desist from smuggling children and to apply for passports for the young ones.
“During school holidays and towards their re-opening it is prevalent for children to be smuggled to and from South Africa through Botswana. The greatest challenge is that most of the children do not have contacts of their parents either in Zimbabwe or where they are going. It therefore takes long for authorities to trace and contacts the parents of the smuggled minors,” highlighted the Magistrate.
“What you are doing is risky! In the event that those transporting them abandon your children, how do you expect the authorities to get in touch with you? Please tell your people back home to stop smuggling their children. Please for the safety of your children, apply for passports for them,” advised Magetse.
