By Lungile Ntimba
Border Management Authority (BMA) officials are at the Beitbridge border post to help ensure smooth operations as people start returning to South Africa via Zimbabwe following the festive season.
“We are fairly ready now to start receiving the people into South Africa coming from the rest of the continent at the Beitbridge port of entry,” said BMA commissioner Michael Masiapato.
“I can indicate that inside the port we have made clear demarcations of areas where we will be processing all the small vehicles, people coming through public transport like busses and taxis.”
Masiapato said that thousands of vehicles have already been processed. However, over the weekend there would be a dramatic increase.
He said that second phase of the operational plan for Beitbridge had been completed and the focus was now on those returning to the country.
Beitbridge has surpassed the Lebombo border post with Mozambique in terms of traffic this year, with over 300,000 people having left South Africa.
Masiapato said the BMA was continuing to use drones to monitor key areas and address illegal crossings.
The commissioner said the BMA was working closely with all stakeholders, particularly the South Africa Police Services (SAPS), to combat the issue of stolen vehicles leaving the country.
“In terms of the interception of vehicles, we are very much alert, all vehicles as they approach the port have to verified, mainly financed vehicles,” he said in a voice note on X.
“… because if you were to take a financed vehicle out of the country you would need a letter from the financer or the bank in question to indicate that they are aware that the vehicle is supposed to be exiting the country.”
Masiapato said that number plates of all stolen vehicles were being circulated on a system shared with law enforcement authorities to ensure that if a stolen car was spotted at border posts, appropriate interception measures would be taken.
“As we speak now, towards the corridors of the ports… members of the SAPS are alert to make sure that all those vehicles are assessed to make sure stolen vehicles do not exit the country,” he said.
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