A Beitbridge-based South African immigration officer last Friday fought with Zimbabwe-bound travellers who had complained about his slow service.
A witness said the officer went into a tantrum and threw away the passports of a group of restive travellers after they challenged him for insulting them.
South African border official Thabo Mogkola referred questions to Home Affairs spokesperson Siya Qoza who did not respond.
“Please check with Siya (Qoza),” Mogkola said.
The latter ignored the questions.
A white female traveller who asked not to be named said the officer, who appeared to be in a bad mood and was openly rude, did not take it well when travellers complained about his slow pace.
“Travellers were also not happy about his rude manner of speaking, and they started grumbling after spending a long time waiting in the queue. He was deliberately being slow for reasons best known to him and trouble started,” she said.
“He came out of his office and started collecting passports from the crowd. He then went to a fence close by and threw the passports over. People scrambled to get their passports, while others physically attacked him,” she said.
He is said to have fought back until some of his colleagues restrained him.
Travellers from Zimbabwe have often complained about being subjected to a slow service on the South African side of the Beitbridge Border Post.
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