Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
The volume of human traffic passing through Beitbridge Border Post dropped by 7,3 percent in 2017 compared to the previous year, according to statistics from the Department of Immigration. The figures show that 5 345 536 people used the thoroughfare last year, from 5 749 836 in 2016.

Overall, in 2016, of the cumulative human traffic of 5 749 836 people, 2 997 194 arrived in Zimbabwe via the same port, with 2 752 642 leaving for South Africa. Mr Notius Tarisai, the Assistant Regional Immigration Officer (Beitbridge), said the decline in traffic is due mainly to alternative ports of entry, especially through Botswana.

“This is attributed mainly to the opening up of more borders with Botswana, which saw some Zimbabweans based in South Africa opting transit via that country and use less busy borders,” said Mr Tarisai.

It is understood that the new borders include Mpoengs, Maitengwe and Mlambaphele.

“In addition, some holders of the Zimbabwe Special Permit, which expired on December 31 last year, were reluctant to travel pending the outcome of the same, under the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit.”

It is also believed that the local cash crunch and restrictions on the import of some groceries as a result of Statutory Instrument (SI) 64 could have deterred potential visitors from South Africa. Mr Tarisai said that there was a noticeable decline of traffic in December 2017 compared to the same month a year ago.

“We cleared a total of 352 456 arrivals in December 2017 in comparison to a total of 364 658 in December 2016. In addition, we had 281 062 leaving last year (December), while 356 476 left during the month under review.”

The Department however, noted that though there was a decline in human traffic, they witnessed an increase in vehicular traffic. But sprucing up infrastructure at the border, Mr Tarisai said, is important to accommodate the ever increasing volume of vehicles accessing the two countries — Zimbabwe and South Africa — via Beitbridge.

Immigration officials say they are now clearing more people on South-bound traffic as the festive season winds up.

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