News / Local
Zimbabwe to engage South Africa over Beitbridge border chaos
25 Dec 2023 at 04:34hrs | Views
ZIMBABWE will engage South Africa to speed up the processing of travellers between the two countries during peak periods with an estimated 25 000 people expected to arrive today, a cabinet minister has said.
Beitbridge is Zimbabwe's busiest port of entry for about 1 million citizens living in South Africa and uses the border post when returning to the country during Christmas holidays.
"Our Zimbabwean side is okay and all people have been cleared by officials here. They are waiting for their buses and vehicles caught up in traffic jams on the SA side. Travellers have indicated they are waiting for their transport," Tourism minister Barbara Rwodzi said on Sunday during her working visit to the border town.
"We will in future engage our counterparts in SA to see how we can speed up movement, make it seamless.
"I am happy that facilities by Zimborders have enabled fast movements on our side. I am told the average per day has been around 20 000 people a day and we expect 25 000 today [Sunday].
"She went around the border speaking to travellers and distributing water and various goodies to children and adults alike.Meanwhile, police reported three deaths on Saturday, including that of a woman who collapsed and died inside the border post. Two other people died on the spot and three were seriously injured in a head-on crash some 40 kilometres outside Beitbridge along the Harare road.
Beitbridge is Zimbabwe's busiest port of entry for about 1 million citizens living in South Africa and uses the border post when returning to the country during Christmas holidays.
"Our Zimbabwean side is okay and all people have been cleared by officials here. They are waiting for their buses and vehicles caught up in traffic jams on the SA side. Travellers have indicated they are waiting for their transport," Tourism minister Barbara Rwodzi said on Sunday during her working visit to the border town.
"We will in future engage our counterparts in SA to see how we can speed up movement, make it seamless.
"I am happy that facilities by Zimborders have enabled fast movements on our side. I am told the average per day has been around 20 000 people a day and we expect 25 000 today [Sunday].
"She went around the border speaking to travellers and distributing water and various goodies to children and adults alike.Meanwhile, police reported three deaths on Saturday, including that of a woman who collapsed and died inside the border post. Two other people died on the spot and three were seriously injured in a head-on crash some 40 kilometres outside Beitbridge along the Harare road.
Source - newsday
