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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
Activity has increased at Beitbridge Border Post as many Zimbabweans based in South Africa are starting to return home for the festive season. Immigration and customs authorities from both countries said they were geared for the increased traffic during the festive season.

Long winding queues of vehicles and people have started forming at both sides of the border, especially in the evening since December 7. Statistics from the Department of Immigration show that an average of 24 000 travellers, inclusive of arrival and departures, were being cleared at the border daily. The assistant regional immigration officer-in-charge of Beitbridge, Mr Notius Tarisai, said they usually cleared around 12 000 people daily during off peak periods.

“We have covered a lot of ground as inter-border stakeholders with our South African counterparts. Operations have been harmonised for the period between December 8 and January 11 next year,” he said.

“The whole idea is to pull in one direction with a shared vision. Basically, we are building on the success of our previous Border Efficiency and Management Systems initiative.” Mr Tarisai said traffic had been separated into buses, pedestrians, returning residents, commercial and private motorists. He said they had also requested for additional staff from less busy stations to help with operation during the festive season.

“At the moment we have 46 officers and we hope to receive additional officers this week,” said Mr Tarisai. “In addition, we have collapsed our four shifts into three, and suspended all off and leave days. Going forward we will be collapsing our shifts into two (12 hours shifts) during peak periods.”

Mr Tarisai said they had also adopted zero tolerance to touts, conmen, vendors and criminals who cause unnecessary congestion of human traffic within the border area. He said they were hoping to clear over one million people at the border during the festive season.

“We have been witnessing an increase in people who are coming into the country to experience life under the new Government,” said Mr Tarisai. “You will also note that operations will be reviewed and adjusted throughout the holiday.”

A senior customs official who preferred anonymity said 98 more workers from the less busy stations would be deployed to Beitbridge this week. The customs authority is operating with 347 officers at the border post. South Africa’s Home Affairs Department said in a statement that they extended working hours at some ports of entry and deployed more staff to busy border posts, including Beitbridge, to enable a smooth flow of traffic.

“Operational hours will be extended for busy ports of entry, covering pre-festive season movements, the festive season period and the re-opening of schools, that is, from December 6, 2017 to January 16, 2018,” said the department. To ensure reasonable turnaround times and to avoid congestion associated with peak periods, the Department of Home Affairs has deployed additional staff at targeted ports of entry.”