Be prepared before crossing the border
Read this to see what is required of you when crossing borders during the holiday.
Drivers of South African-registered cars crossing the country’s borders must carry and present a certified copy of vehicle registration/vehicle licence papers at the border gate.
If you are heading to Mozambique for the first time this festive season, make sure you are well prepared. Also take note of new regulations that have been implemented by the South African Police Services at all borders.
Drivers of South African-registered cars crossing the country’s borders must carry and present a certified copy of vehicle registration/vehicle licence papers at the border gate. If it is still under finance, a certified letter from the bank giving authorisation to take it across the border is also compulsory. Make sure it indicates dates of travel.
Both the bank letter and licence papers should be signed by a commissioner of oaths. If the driver of the vehicle is not the owner, an affidavit from the police giving authorisation from the financial institution/owner to take it abroad is required. If the car is rented, the driver must have a letter from the rental company.
Don’t forget that all the same rules apply to trailers, jet skis, boats and any other mode of transport that requires registration. It is also vital to make sure that you have medical cover when crossing any border and when entering Mozambique, you will have to buy third-party insurance. This is available at the border.
Make sure you have all the necessary equipment required like triangles, a ZA sticker and reflective jackets.
Border times
The Lebombo/Ressano Garcia Border Post will be operating 24 hours for the festive period between December 11, 2015 and January 16, 2016. This period carries high volumes of traffic and peak dates are between 18 and 24 December when miners, holiday travellers and commercial cargo from South Africa enters into Mozambique. For return traffic the highest volumes are recorded between 2 and 6 January so visitors should expect to spend long hours at the borders.
What else to remember?
When visiting Mozambique consult your doctor and choose the right medicine for malaria prophylaxis. Recommendations to prevent malaria differ by country of travel. Remember that no anti-malaria drug is 100 per cent protective and must be combined with other protective measures like applying insect repellent, wearing long sleeves and long pants and the use of an insecticide-treated bednet. When driving in Mozambique stay within the speed limit as roadblocks occur often. When you drive to the northern areas, the road winds through hundreds of villages and you have to immediately adjust your speed limit.
The Ultra City has become a good pit stop to refresh and buy water or cold drinks. You can also have a quick snack and the facilities are kept clean. Buy a Moz Drive sticker before you enter the country and keep the number handy whenever you are stopped or face any challenge. Use the DriveMoz Facebook page to familiarise yourself with all relevant information as well as dowloading a useful guide of toilets, restaurants and places to stay on your route.
What can you expect?
The Mozambican coast has beautiful pristine beaches and is ideal for snorkelling and fishing. The locals offer fresh fish, crayfish and prawns for sale. You can buy beautifully carved wooden curios at the roadside shops and the cashew-nut sellers with their familiar “plastic bag flags” will indicate where to find these delicacies.
The local beers, 2M, Laurentina and Manhica, are tasty and ideal thirst quenchers, while the famous R&R (rum and raspberry) is a sweet delight that should be handled with caution!
Indulge in Mozambican peri-peri chicken or prawns and buy fresh pao bread every morning. Find out from the locals where the nearest bakery is.
Viagem segura! Safe travels, enjoy your holiday!
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