Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya
Beitbridge Bureau
THE movement of travellers and cargo into South Africa and Zimbabwe through Beitbridge Port of Entry (PoE) resumed last night after border officials contained a potential danger posed by the trailer of a gas tanker that overturned at a service station some 800 metres from the South African side of the border.
Authorities had temporarily stopped the movement of traffic into either country as a precautionary measure.
The incident occurred around midday and traffic had to be blocked on both sides of the border. Emergency teams have been deployed to the scene and are working on transferring the gas to another tanker.
Work on removing the tanker is expected to continue this morning and technical workers have ruled out any potential danger after securing the area.
This is the second time operations at the border have to be suspended due to gas-related incidents.
In May last year a gas leak at the Beitbridge Border Post (Zimbabwe side) light vehicles and pedestrians’ terminal forced authorities to evacuate the building and re-route traffic to the bus terminal.
However, this was swiftly resolved. At least 1000 cargo trucks, 200 buses, 2000 light vehicles and 15 000 travellers use the border post daily during off-peak periods and the number increases threefold at peak.
Online Reporter