Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
TRAFFIC through the Beitbridge Border Post has been temporarily halted as South African and Zimbabwean authorities respond to a potentially explosive situation involving a stranded liquefied petroleum (LP) gas tanker at the Shell service station on Monday evening.
The tanker, which officials say poses a significant explosion hazard, has prompted emergency services to evacuate staff and suspend all cross-border movements as a precautionary measure.
In an urgent notice to inter-border agencies and stakeholders on Monday, South African Revenue Service (SARS) official at Beitbridge, Ms Memory Ndou, confirmed that emergency teams have been deployed and are preparing to transfer the gas to another tanker.
“There is currently a stranded LP Gas tanker at the Shell garage posing a potential explosion hazard. Emergency teams have been deployed and are preparing to transfer the gas safely to another tanker,” she said.
“During this transfer process, all operations will be temporarily suspended. The team is clearing a few trucks at the gate and, where possible, trucks should be returned to designated parking areas. Officials have been evacuated.”
She said the transfer operation was expected to begin at 15:30, with vehicle movement halted beyond Matombo in South Africa. Zimbabwean authorities have also been requested to stop traffic from their side.
An update on the duration of the closure and the time of resumption will be communicated to all stakeholders in due course.
This marks the second gas-related disruption at the border in recent months. Recently, traffic was halted on the Zimbabwean side following a gas leak which was quickly resolved.
Travellers and truck drivers have been advised to delay their journeys or consider alternative routes while the emergency response is underway.
Bongani Moyo