LEBOMBO BORDER POST — The Border Management Authority (BMA) and the South African Revenue Service (SARS) have entered into an agreement to mitigate traffic congestion at the Lebombo border post. This agreement, focusing on a new system to reduce delays, was signed during a bilateral visit to the Republic of Mozambique earlier this month.
According to South African Government News Agency, The collaboration aims to provide efficient and coordinated interventions at ports of entry, facilitating legitimate trade and travel while preventing illegal crossings of goods and people. The Lebombo border post has experienced increased cargo volumes, resulting in extended queues and blockages on the N4 corridor, affecting the smooth flow of trade through the port.
Recently, protests between truck drivers and a taxi association in Komatipoort have exacerbated the situation, causing long queues for trucks. In response, SARS and BMA have developed a system to co-locate in the canopies at the Lebombo border post, aiming to streamline the movement of trucks and fulfill the commitments outlined in the BMA implementation protocol.
Under this new system, truck drivers will be processed without disembarking from their trucks, provided they have all necessary customs documents and immigration passports ready before approaching the canopies. After marking for arrival, drivers will proceed directly to the exit canopy to improve flow in the bypass, except in cases requiring further attention from authorities like the police, agricultural services, or health departments.
This process, primarily conducted by customs for imports and exports, moves passport control by the Border Management Authority from building 310 to the canopies, significantly reducing the time spent in the bypass. The primary objective is to decrease turnaround time for trucks and enhance efficiency at the border post.
Dr. Michael Masiapato, Commissioner of the BMA, emphasized that this process will not compromise the authorities’ functions for compliance and border law enforcement. He asserted that this initiative would contribute to efficient trade facilitation and compliance, crucial for regional development.