Newzroom Africa reports that South Africans living along the Zimbabwe Beitbridge Border are destroying the new R37 million border fence to buy alcohol in Zimbabwe.

This comes after a ban on alcohol and cigarettes was implemented in South Africa as a preventative measure to curb the spread covid-19.

The construction of the 40km fence which began three weeks back was meant to ensure that no undocumented or infected persons crosses into South Africa as the country fights the the Covid-19 pandemic.

South Africa’s Public works minister Patricia De Lille confirmed that the army had been sent to the Beitbridge border fence after reports that it had been damaged.

The minister said: “With regard to the Beitbridge border fence which DPWI [department of public works and infrastructure] is erecting and criminal elements damaging the fence: I am investigating this matter. The contractor has increased security personnel. The Defence Force has also deployed soldiers to patrol the border,”.