South African and Zimbabwean immigration officials are to meet on Tuesday to find a solution to the current congestion of trucks at the Beit Bridge border post, the home affairs department said on Monday.
Departmental representative Leslie Mashokwe said trucks were backed up for about four kilometres on the South African side of the border post.
”We have people milling around the border post who have already been cleared on our books five days ago but are not out of the country yet.”
The delay was caused by renovations being undertaken on parking areas and roads on the Zimbabwean side of the border post, Mashokwe said.
”I am told they are only allowing through about ten trucks a day.”
Traffic other than trucks was not affected, except to the extent that frustrated truck drivers were becoming ”a nuisance” to car drivers, Mashokwe said.
Tuesday’s meeting would take place at the border post. Asked what possible solutions there were to the problem, Mashokwe said: ”As far as I am concerned, the Zimbabweans must open on their side. Whatever they are doing must be done fast enough to make it possible for our people to pass through.”
Truck traffic at the border post was also extensively delayed over the December holiday period. It was then partly blamed on the petrol and food shortages in Zimbabwe. – Sapa