Beitbridge blockage an imminent time bomb

The Federation of Eastern and Southern Africa Road Transport Associations has called for urgent intervention at the Beitbridge Border Post between South Africa and Zimbabwe where a humanitarian disaster is unfolding.

The association's CEO Mike Fitzmaurice said that Covid-19 regulations and restrictions introduced at the beginning of December had severely compromised the flow of traffic through both sides of the border post.

Fitzmaurice said reports of corruption were rife with some traffic officials said to be accepting bribes of R 1000 from drivers who jump the queues.

During the first three weeks of December, the cost of delays at Beitbridge was almost R88 million per week.

Queue time delays for trucks amounted to R609 million per week.