Electronic gates for Zimbabwe borders

Government has identified three potential contractors to set up electronic gates at border posts and ports of entry to enable the Ministry of Home Affairs to monitor the movement of the people electronically as well as curb corruption and smuggling of illicit drugs and goods, a senior Government official has said.

Under the new system, individuals or travellers are identified using electronic devices and need only produce modern identity cards or passports.

In an interview during his national tour, Home Affairs Deputy Minister Obedingwa Mguni said Government was planning on using advanced and sophisticated methods of monitoring migration of people at the country's border posts and ports of entry.

"We have received three people that have responded positively for Beitbridge, Forbes and Chirundu border posts. We need to uplift them and meet the international standards where everything will be made easier for the travellers.

"This is because a lot of them are a bit congested and we need to de-congest them by introducing more efficient systems particularly during holidays. At the moment, we have installed closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras at Beitbridge border post. We need to improve the systems and technology at our borders so that we match the world," he said.

CCTV is a system where the circuit in which the video is transmitted is closed and all the elements that include camera, display monitors and recording devices are directly connected.

Secretary for Home Affairs Mr Melusi Matshiya once said this would curb rampant cases of corruption at border posts and ports of entry by members of the immigration department.

"We look at the Registrar-General and the type of documents they produce. For instance, the passports that have unique features that are not visible with a naked eye.

"We want to develop them to become more sophisticated. When you look at the immigration department, it has been computerised. We want everything now to be done electronically including receipting and having an appropriate data base.

"There has to be a linkage between the registrar general and the immigration department so that we introduce e-gates where you use your identity card or passport and it will be read electronically," he said then.

Government has been losing potential revenue through smuggling of minerals, drugs, goods and other valuable into and outside the country due to congestion at border posts and inefficiency.