Story by Aifheli Mudau
THE modernised Beitbridge Border Post is now setting a national benchmark for efficient and sustainable operations, ensuring the smooth movement of traffic and travellers as Zimbabwe gears up for the Easter holiday.
Prior to the upgrade, trucks could spend more than three days at the border, while travellers often slept on-site. The modernisation has restructured the port into three dedicated terminals for freight, buses, and light vehicles or pedestrians, significantly improving the flow of traffic.
Digital passport scanners have also been installed, reducing processing times from days to just hours or minutes.
“Coming home these days, it is not really a challenge here at the Border. You see, like me, I travel frequently across the Border, and when you arrive here you do not spend much time, even if you are carrying passengers, as long as their papers are in order. You don’t have to wait like before when people would sleep over here.”
“Our Border is now very efficient; no one is sleeping here these days, whether it is a bus or a person. It is functioning almost perfectly,” a citizen added.
“The modernisation of this Border made travelling easy for us because these days we do not spend so much time here at the Border,” another traveller said.
Government agencies at the Beitbridge Border Post say they are ready to handle increased traffic during the Easter holidays.
“As we approach the holidays, as Immigration, we are ready to cater for any volumes that may come during the Easter holidays. As for now, we have not seen any surge, and we also have additional manpower and e-gates, which play a very critical role in providing smooth passage for travellers,” regional Immigration Officer Joshua Chibundu said.
“We have enough manpower in the whole of Beitbridge district, including the border. We will be conducting targeted patrols around the whole district, both motorised and foot patrols, and also carrying out public crime awareness and teaching the public on safeguarding their properties and goods as they celebrate Easter holidays,” Officer Commanding Beitbridge District ZRP Chief Superintendent Mesuli Ncube said.
The modernisation of Beitbridge Border Post has addressed critical inefficiencies, with Government focusing on infrastructure development and digitalisation to ensure travellers move safely and efficiently.
