The Border Management Authority (BMA) is implementing a comprehensive plan, including longer border post operating times and more boots on the ground for the festive season.

This is according to the BMA Commissioner Dr Michael Masiapato, who addressed the media in Pretoria yesterday.

He said the BMA expects at least six million people to move through South Africa’s borders during the festive season.

Masiapato said the BMA has engaged with South Africa’s six immediate neighbouring countries on the ‘synchronisation of processes and other work modalities’, including working hours.

“While some of our busiest ports already operate on a 24-hour basis, the Minister of Home Affairs Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has approved our request to extend the operating hours at other identified critical ports on certain dates that we agreed with our immediate neighbouring countries,” he said.

Ports of entry will be open as follows:

• Grobler’s Bridge to Botswana: 06:00 to midnight on December 15, 16, 22 and 23
• Swartkopfontein to Botswana: 06:00 to 20:00 from 14 to 17 December, December 22 to 24 December, and January 2 to 4 and 13 and 15.
• Kosi Bay to Mozambique: 06:00 to 18:00 from December 14 to January 14
• Mahamba to Swaziland: 07:00 to midnight on December 15, 23 and 24
• Jeppes Reef to Swaziland: 07:00 to 22:00 from December 22 to January 2
• Mananga to Swaziland: 07:00 to 20:00 from December 18 to 23
• Sanipass to Lesotho: 06:00 to 20:00 on December 15 and 16, and from December 21 to 24
• Caledonspoort: 06:00 to midnight on December 15, 16 and 23, January 2. On December 22, the port will be open for 24 hours.
• Van Rooyensgate: 06:00 am to midnight on December 15, 16 and 24 and on January 8. It will operate for 24 hours on December 23 and January 2
• Monontsa Pass: 07:00 to 18:00 on December 23 and 24 December, and on January 2 and 3
• Pekabridge: 08:00 to 18:00 on December 23 and 24, and January 2 and 3

“In addition, we will be deploying about 380 additional personnel at the selected busiest ports of entry to assist with the delivery of services and provision of technical support during this period.

“There are also a number of senior members from the Border Technical Committee who have been allocated individual ports for their visitation during the identified critical dates to provide support to the operational teams on the ground,” he said.

Additional infrastructure to mitigate load-shedding

Masiapato said additional infrastructure has been sought, including generators, to mitigate the effects of load-shedding on operations.

“After engagement with the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, they will be providing additional infrastructure, such as temporary lighting, ablution facilities, special temporary barricades and JoJo tankers for the provision of water to travellers at identified critical land ports.

“In addition, generators with the appropriate uninterrupted power system are ready to provide required energy during of load-shedding. We have also deployed additional IT support teams to various ports to immediately address any kind of system glitches experienced on the ground,” Masiapato said.

Measures in place to detect illegal activities

He emphasised that the BMA will also be on the lookout for illegal activities.

“We will also be focusing on curbing the illegal movement of persons and goods, with specific focus on cross-border organised criminal elements and other general crimes perpetrated in the ports of entry and border law enforcement area.

“We have put all measures in place to detect and confiscate narcotics, contraband, illicit goods, and even stolen vehicles. We therefore want to urge all travellers to desist from committing any act of criminality as they will be detected, arrested, declared undesirable, and deported.

“On the corridors leading to our land ports of entry, we urge all drivers to desist from disregarding traffic laws, including instructions from traffic officers on the ground, as this has the potential to cause traffic jams which pose serious challenges of traffic flow towards our ports entry,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za