NEWLY appointed Home Affairs Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize announced the department will be extending operating hours at selected ports of entry during the Easter weekend from 11 to 19 April. The Minister also announced that an additional 200 Home Affairs’ officials will be deployed at various ports of entry during the Easter weekend.

“Our immigration services have paid closer attention to those critical ports of entry processing very high numbers of travellers, especially at this time of the year. An analysis of all movement for March and April 2012-2016, shows an increase from around 5.7 million recorded movements of citizens and foreigners in 2012, to over 7 million in 2016. Higher numbers are those of foreigners,” the Minister said.

Top 10 ports of entry by volume of arrivals and departures are-OR International Airport, Beit Bridge, Lebombo, Maseru Bridge, Ficksburg, Oshoek, Cape Town International Airport, Kopfontein, Ramatlabama and Golela Port of Entry.

Minister Mkhize said with increasing traveller volumes over the Easter period, it is imperative that staff, as well as border ports, are well-prepared to facilitate traveller movement and to mitigate transgressions.