Travellers Using Beitbridge Port Of Entry Face Long Delays Into South Africa

Hundreds of travellers from Zimbabwe, Malawi and Zambia faced long delays at the Beitbridge Port Of Entry into South Africa over the weekend due to limited space and staff on the South African side.

Vehicles and buses lined the roads in Beitbridge town, many having already cleared Zimbabwean border checks.

Cross-border traders said only five officers were handling arrivals and five departures on the South African side.

In a statement issued on Sunday, South Africa’s Border Management Authority (BMA) said it had deployed extra staff and resources to Beitbridge.

BMA Chief Executive Officer Commissioner Michael Masiapato, who is overseeing operations, said additional support had also been sent to other ports nationwide. The statement reads:

“To manage the increased volumes, multiple processing and interception points have been established at all major ports and Beitbridge continues to lead with high volumes in land borders with over 22 483 processed on 3 January alone.

“At Beitbridge, elevated volumes have been largely driven by the simultaneous arrival of buses from Malawi, Zimbabwe and Zambia, mainly and the processing was managed through established border control protocols.

“In response to long queues and extreme heat conditions, the BMA has prioritised young children, the elderly, and vulnerable travellers.

“With the border environment remaining highly dynamic, particularly during peak travel periods, high movement volumes do not constitute evidence of a border breach or a failure of border controls.”

The Assistant Regional Immigration Officer-in-Charge (ARIO) at Beitbridge, Canisia Magaya, said most travellers had been cleared between Saturday evening and Sunday morning. She said:

“We have noted a surge in traffic and yesterday alone we processed a total of 22 379 travellers, which includes 5 387 entries and 16,992 exits.

“We are using the online border clearance system and eGates, which are up and running and all our service points are adequately manned.

“As Zimbabwean border authorities, we are giving priority clearance to the elderly, pregnant women and those travelling with young children (babies).”

More: Chronicle

Related:

1,500 Foreign Nationals Leave South Africa Via Beitbridge In 13 Hours Zimbabwe Sends 35 Buses To Bring Citizens Home From South Africa