Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya-Beitbridge Bureau
Nearly 620 000 travellers transiting between Zimbabwe and South Africa used Beitbridge Border Post during the festive season, making it a major crossing point that is helping to facilitate regional and international travel and trade.
Latest statistics from South Africa’s Border Management Authority (BMA) indicate that 7 745 commercial trucks were also processed at the port of entry during the same period.
Beitbridge Border Post mainly links South Africa to Zimbabwe, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Mozambique, Botswana, Tanzania and Malawi by road.
While giving an update on the just-ended festive season in Pretoria on Friday, BMA Commissioner Dr Michael Masiapato said they facilitated the legitimate movement of about 4 902 269 travellers across 71 ports of entry during the festive period.
“Of this total, about 1 369 775 were South African nationals, while about 3 532 494 were foreign nationals. In facilitating this movement, we processed about 340 876 private vehicles, 9 072 mini-bus taxis and 10 349 buses through our land modality,” said Dr Masiapato.
“In this festive period, OR Tambo International Airport (ORTIA) remained the busiest port of entry and facilitated the majority of travellers, totalling 991 535, followed by Lebombo land port of entry to Mozambique at 755 529 travellers, and Beitbridge land port of entry to Zimbabwe at 618 562.
“In this regard, Lebombo experienced a significant increase in traveller volume by about 184 398, surpassing Beitbridge to become the second-busiest port after ORTIA.
“This increase can be attributed to the post-election violence, which affected cross-border travel at Lebombo during the 2024/2025 festive period.”
He also highlighted that during the period under review, 84 percent of all travellers were facilitated at the top 10 ports of entry, namely ORTIA, Beitbridge, Lebombo, Kopfontein, Oshoek, Cape Town International Airport, Maseru Bridge, Ficksburg Bridge, Caledonspoort and Groblersbridge.
From that total of 4 902 269 travellers, Dr Masiapato said, about 4 115 112 were facilitated at these top 10 ports, while the remaining 16 percent were facilitated at the other 61 ports.
In terms of the movement of goods, working together with the South African Revenue Service (SARS), the BMA facilitated about 145 113 trucks for both import and export during the festive period.
“Of this total, 121 217 were processed for exports, whilst 23 896 were for imports. In this regard, about 42 618 trucks were facilitated at Lebombo port of entry for export purposes, of which the majority were transit cargo destined for Maputo Harbour,” added Dr Masiapato.
“About 7 745 were facilitated at Beitbridge port of entry for import purposes. In dealing with illegal migration and other forms of illegality, the Border Guards participated in more than 531 joint law enforcement operations, which were mainly roadblocks and vehicle checking points outside the border law enforcement areas.
“They further conducted 10 455 vehicle and foot patrols and raided about 8 288 hotspot areas within the border law enforcement areas.” He also said during the 2025/2026 festive period, there had been a significant decline in the number of individuals who attempted to enter South Africa illegally compared to the 58 394 during the 2024/2025 festive season.
In the last festive season, the BMA detected 26 852 individuals who were attempting to enter South Africa illegally, translating to a 46 percent decline in border jumpers.
