Police say reports of Limpopo river drownings are false

By Lance Guma
21 January 2006

Police officials have said that the reported drowning of 60 Zimbabweans in the Limpopo river and carried by the state media are false. It had been alleged by both government’s electronic and print media that the Zimbabweans were caught by flooding while trying to cross the border illegally into South Africa.

Although police did carry out a search in the river based on the reports, they dispute having received assistance from their South African counterparts. Assistant Commissioner Wayne Bvudzijena told reporters they abandoned the search for bodies after it became apparent the story was a hoax.

It’s not immediately clear why the state media gave prominence to a story that initially only started as a rumour. Some observers have pointed to a government desire to discourage people from leaving the country in search of greener pastures elsewhere.