JUST IN: Govt to deploy more manpower at Beitbridge, as SA closes 35 borders Beitbridge border post

Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
Government will deploy more manpower at Beitbridge Border Post as authorities intensify screening and surveillance to detect and manage cases of coronavirus (Covid-19).

The move is meant to strengthen the current operational procedures and manage an anticipated increase in travellers after Pretoria closed 35 land ports today as part of drastic measures to combat the pandemic. South Africa has also issued a travel ban on people coming from countries that have recorded high infections namely: Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom, and China.

Prior to the latest development, some travellers would use the closed ports of entry that go through Botswana or Mozambique to access Zimbabwe. In an interview, Health and Child Care Minister, Dr Obadiah Moyo said he will soon be visiting the country and Sadc’s busiest border to ensure that everything is full proof.

Dr Moyo said the country cannot afford to relax considering that South Africa was the first country Zimbabwe shares a border with which had recorded a number of positive cases.

“We are going to put more people at Beitbridge to strengthen the capacity in the event we have high volumes of traffic pushed by the closure of other borders which people previously used to access Zimbabwe.

“In addition, I am going to visit Beitbridge to check on the state of affairs again and boost capacity where need be. The travellers should bear with us because the screening process will now be more intense and it might take time for them to gain access into Zimbabwe through Beitbridge,” said Dr Moyo.

Currently, Beitbridge Border Post handles 14 000 people daily (off-peak) and 38 000 daily (peak times).

Meanwhile, South Africa’s Home Affairs Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi told journalists today that although they had closed 35 land ports, they were not going to shut down Beitbridge because of its high economic activity as a commercial hub for Sadc. He said they were increasing capacity and resources to those ports which remained operational to avoid any leakages.

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