Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
AN average of 19 000 travellers passed through Beitbridge Border Post daily during the festive season, reaffirming its status as the busiest inland port of entry in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.
Beitbridge Border Post serves as a critical gateway linking South Africa, Zimbabwe and at least six other SADC countries, making it a key conduit for regional trade, tourism and human movement.
Assistant Regional Immigration Officer-in-Charge for Beitbridge, Mrs Canisia Magaya, said that in December alone, the Department of Immigration processed a total of 437 372 travellers, comprising 263 575 arrivals and 173 797 departures.
“In the same month, we intercepted 3 640 travellers attempting to cross the border in violation of immigration laws, while 27 people were refused entry for various reasons, including failure to produce valid visas to enter Zimbabwe,” said Mrs Magaya.
She urged travellers to plan their journeys carefully and consider travelling during off-peak hours to minimise delays.
“We advise travellers to consider crossing during early morning or late evening hours and to continuously monitor official updates and announcements from Zimbabwean authorities regarding border operations,” said Mrs Magaya.
The surge in traffic comes amid growing recognition of the transformation of the Beitbridge Border Post following the completion of a US$300 million modernisation project, which has significantly improved efficiency and turnaround times.
During a recent visit to the border in December, Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Barbara Rwodzi, said the modernisation of Beitbridge had become a catalyst for tourism growth, with more regional and international travellers appreciating the enhanced service delivery at the country’s busiest port of entry.
She said the automation of services and the permanent separation of traffic streams had been a game changer, in line with Government’s ease-of-doing-business agenda. The minister was on a three-day working visit aimed at welcoming returning residents and international visitors during the festive season.
“Under the current set-up, where traffic is permanently separated into commercial vehicles, buses, light vehicles and pedestrian terminals, travellers are now spending significantly less time at the border compared to previous years, when people could spend days waiting to be processed,” said Minister Rwodzi.
She commended President Mnangagwa for supporting the modernisation of border infrastructure and services.
“An efficient border is critical in facilitating tourism growth. Most services are now automated, and the new online border management system, together with electronic gates (eGates) at the immigration section, has ushered in a new era of service delivery,” she said.
Minister Rwodzi noted that travellers who have the requisite documentation are now able to pass through the border in less than 20 minutes, a sharp contrast to the past.
Prior to the transformation completed in 2021, travellers would endure waiting periods ranging from three hours to as long as 36 hours.
During off-peak periods, Beitbridge Border Post processes an average of 12 000 travellers, 100 buses, 1 000 trucks and 300 light vehicles daily, including citizens from Malawi, Angola, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Botswana, as well as international visitors.
However, traffic volumes surged during December, with the border processing an average of 250 buses, 1 300 light vehicles and 1 000 commercial trucks daily, underscoring Beitbridge’s central role in regional mobility.
