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Covid-19 certificates needed to cross Beitbridge border
29 Nov 2020 at 02:11hrs | Views
South Africa's Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi said people entering and leaving South Africa through the Beitbridge border post this festive season would now be required to produce Covid-19 clearance certificates.
Motsoaledi made the announcement following his meeting with his Zimbabwean counterpart on Friday.
The border post has been a site of widespread criticism recently, with various reports exposing how easy it is to pass through it.
Motsoaledi has previously conceded the country's borders are porous and something needs to be done.
"At our borders there are problems. It is chock-a-block, especially Beitbridge border. This year is a special year because of coronavirus. For the first time in a December, we are going to be requiring a Covid certificate.
"From the Zimbabwean side, they want certificates that are not more than 48 hours old. From the South African side, the certificates must not be more than 72 hours old."
Meanwhile, South Africa's opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) is this weekend embarking on an oversight visit to the Mozambique and Zimbabwe borders to get a first-hand account of problems facing border control.
The visit comes as questions are being raised about how the Bushiris skipped the country to Malawi.
Self-proclaimed prophet Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary fled earlier this month after they were granted bail of R200 000 each on charges of fraud, theft and money laundering.
In a statement, the DA raised concerns over what it terms worrying reports that national defence force capabilities and prime mission equipment have deteriorated with minister Nosiviwe Maphisa-Nqakula claiming the only solution would be to increase budget.
Media reports exposed how easy it is to pass through borders.
The Home Affairs department conceded the country's borders are porous and something needs to be done to deal with the problem.
DA shadow minister of defence Kobus Marius said the department must act and stop making empty promises.
He said with inadequate equipment, the defence force would be unable to police the borders.
The DA team will begin its mission at the Beitbridge border post.
Motsoaledi made the announcement following his meeting with his Zimbabwean counterpart on Friday.
The border post has been a site of widespread criticism recently, with various reports exposing how easy it is to pass through it.
Motsoaledi has previously conceded the country's borders are porous and something needs to be done.
"At our borders there are problems. It is chock-a-block, especially Beitbridge border. This year is a special year because of coronavirus. For the first time in a December, we are going to be requiring a Covid certificate.
"From the Zimbabwean side, they want certificates that are not more than 48 hours old. From the South African side, the certificates must not be more than 72 hours old."
Meanwhile, South Africa's opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) is this weekend embarking on an oversight visit to the Mozambique and Zimbabwe borders to get a first-hand account of problems facing border control.
Self-proclaimed prophet Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary fled earlier this month after they were granted bail of R200 000 each on charges of fraud, theft and money laundering.
In a statement, the DA raised concerns over what it terms worrying reports that national defence force capabilities and prime mission equipment have deteriorated with minister Nosiviwe Maphisa-Nqakula claiming the only solution would be to increase budget.
Media reports exposed how easy it is to pass through borders.
The Home Affairs department conceded the country's borders are porous and something needs to be done to deal with the problem.
DA shadow minister of defence Kobus Marius said the department must act and stop making empty promises.
He said with inadequate equipment, the defence force would be unable to police the borders.
The DA team will begin its mission at the Beitbridge border post.
Source - the standard
