News / Regional
SA deploys 78 officers to Beitbridge border
10 Dec 2015 at 00:29hrs | Views
SOUTH Africa has deployed 78 immigration officers to Beitbridge Border Post to facilitate quick movement of human and vehicular traffic during the festive season, an official said yesterday.
Home Affairs spokesperson Thabo Mokgola said in an interview the neighbouring country had extended operating hours at several ports of entry across that country.
"The Department of Home Affairs is ready for the festive season movement of travellers and goods at all our ports of entry including land, sea and airports," he said.
"We've deployed an additional 78 officials to the Beitbridge port of entry to assist with the expected high volumes of travellers."
Mokgola added that selected ports of entry would between December 10, 2015, and January 14, 2016, operate on extended hours, with additional staff and extra resources.
He said the main objective was to cater for the pre-festive season movement, the post-festive season period and the re-opening of schools in the New Year.
Mokgola said Beitbridge and Ribombo were two of the busiest inland border posts in that country.
He could not disclose the exact number of immigration officers at Beitbridge border post though it is understood that they operate with 20 immigration officers per shift during off peak periods and 30 officers during peak times.
The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority deployed more relief staff from less busy stations to Beitbridge last week to help with the clearance of human and cargo throughout the holidays.
The assistant Regional immigration officer for Zimbabwe responsible for compliance and enforcement, Francis Mabika, said the department had come up with a raft of measures to ensure a smooth flow of traffic at all borders.
The department has 80 officers at Beitbridge.
Beitbridge border post is one of the busiest inlands ports of entry in southern Africa with 170,000 people, 2,100 buses, 25,000 private cars and 20,000 trucks passing through every month.
Of late there has been an increase in traffic between the two countries resulting in travellers spending long hours in queues.
The surge in traffic has been attributed to the weakening of the Rand against the United States Dollar, which has caused scores of shoppers to flock to South Africa.
Sources on both sides of the border yesterday said the situation was still manageable.
Numbers are expected to swell up over the weekend when most companies in both countries have their annual shut down.
Home Affairs spokesperson Thabo Mokgola said in an interview the neighbouring country had extended operating hours at several ports of entry across that country.
"The Department of Home Affairs is ready for the festive season movement of travellers and goods at all our ports of entry including land, sea and airports," he said.
"We've deployed an additional 78 officials to the Beitbridge port of entry to assist with the expected high volumes of travellers."
Mokgola added that selected ports of entry would between December 10, 2015, and January 14, 2016, operate on extended hours, with additional staff and extra resources.
He said the main objective was to cater for the pre-festive season movement, the post-festive season period and the re-opening of schools in the New Year.
Mokgola said Beitbridge and Ribombo were two of the busiest inland border posts in that country.
He could not disclose the exact number of immigration officers at Beitbridge border post though it is understood that they operate with 20 immigration officers per shift during off peak periods and 30 officers during peak times.
The assistant Regional immigration officer for Zimbabwe responsible for compliance and enforcement, Francis Mabika, said the department had come up with a raft of measures to ensure a smooth flow of traffic at all borders.
The department has 80 officers at Beitbridge.
Beitbridge border post is one of the busiest inlands ports of entry in southern Africa with 170,000 people, 2,100 buses, 25,000 private cars and 20,000 trucks passing through every month.
Of late there has been an increase in traffic between the two countries resulting in travellers spending long hours in queues.
The surge in traffic has been attributed to the weakening of the Rand against the United States Dollar, which has caused scores of shoppers to flock to South Africa.
Sources on both sides of the border yesterday said the situation was still manageable.
Numbers are expected to swell up over the weekend when most companies in both countries have their annual shut down.
Source - chronicle
