Survival guide for holiday goers at the Lebombo gate
Visitors of Mozambique during the festive season will know how hectic the border can get. Sometimes you wish that you had a guide book to help you through all the phases of the border.
LEBOMBO – Visitors of Mozambique during the festive season will know how hectic the border can get. Sometimes you wish that you had a guide book to help you through all the phases of the border.
The AA provides the best guideline to keep calm at the border. Most importantly, you need to remember your valid South African passport, your original registration papers for your car and your valid driver’s licence.
The compulsory third party insurance doesn’t have to be a big headache at the border. You can purchase your insurance at Crossings for only R160. You will also be able to purchase your compulsory ZA sticker there.
Extra fees you can budget for are your Immigration Fees of R17.50 per person and your declaration form for your vehicle that is about R50. You will also need a temporary paper at a cost of R15, to import your vehicle.
They require three types of triangles: One set of red warning triangles and the yellow-and blue Mozambican triangle. Two stickers are required to tow a trailer; one in the front of the vehicle (on the bumper) and one on the rear of the trailer.
According to the official Mozambique travel website, they explain the steps that will be followed on the South African side of the border:
1. As you enter the border post you will be given a gate pass.
2. Once inside the customs building you will need to fill out the paperwork, and also present the Temporary Export Permit for your vehicle.
3. You will have to declare any valuables worth R3000 and over, such as laptops, iPads and Cameras.
4. Insure that the form is stamped and keep it in a safe place as you will need to show it upon your re-entry into South Africa.
5. Keep your Passport handy as next you will have to complete your immigration form.
6. After step 1 to step 5 is done, go back to your car. As you drive through to Mozambique you will have to give your gate pass to the guard.
After you have successfully booked out of South-Africa, you will follow these steps on the Mozambique side:
1. Once you are through the border, you will be stopped by a guard and he will give you another gate pass.
2. Take some South African change in with you to pay your R17.50.
3. You will need to fill in a temporary vehicle import form.
4. Each person in the vehicle will need to fill in an immigration form and have their passport be stamped at the immigration counter
5. Each person will have to pay a nominal processing fee
6. After you have paid and your Passport has been stamped, your vehicle will be checked by customs officials.
7. You will need to pay the vehicle tax before leaving and hand in your vehicle pass to the guard before you can pass.
There are some important guidelines to always remember when heading to the border.
· Never give your passport to anyone and avoid using locals to assist with border assistance
· Watch out for speed traps when travelling back to South-Africa. You will be fined R300 if you exceed the speed limit.
· Rand currency is acceptable in Mozambique
· Always carry copies of your passport and driver’s license, in case you lose your documents.
– Some recommended vaccinations to avoid Typhoid, Hepatitis A & B, Tetanus, Polio and precautions for Malaria.
Over 1000 travellers per hour are going through the border and the number is likely to double from the 23 December to the 24 December. The border post is busiest over weekends, Christmas and Easter and if you are travelling at these times, it pays to be patient. According to SARS the dates to be avoided include December 13, 14, 23 and 24. It can take between 30 minutes and 2 hours to cross the border; depending on the traffic congestion on the N4.
According to SARS, between December 20 and 24, the best time to cross the border is at night because it is cooler and there is no Cargo movement between 22:00 and 06:00. SARS included that the biggest challenge last year was the traffic volumes and reluctance of some travellers to cooperate with instructions designed to facilitate the process. This year traffic control will start approximately 20 kilometres from the border and vehicles will only be released in batches to ensure that there is no congestion near and inside the border. The N4 between Marloth Park and the border will be patrolled by law enforcement officers to ensure compliance and coordination.
