Cape Town — The Border Management Authority (BMA) confirmed on Friday that the Lebombo border post between South Africa and Mozambique has been reopened.
Following the post-election chaos that ensued in South Africa’s north-eastern neighbours, the BMA decided to close the Lebombo border post between the two countries as protests broke out in Maputo.
With the army deployed to contain protests the BMA opened the border post once again. The BMA’s Commissioner, Dr Michael Masiapato, concluded engagements with the Mozambican delegation and the Lebombo port was opened on Friday afternoon, The Citizen reported.
WATCH : The Border Management Authority has partially reopened Lebombo port of entry to allow movement of South African truck drivers who are stuck in Mozambique as well as Mozambican nationals who are travelling home.@dailysunsa pic.twitter.com/55M7DPSCGm
— Bulelwa Maphanga (@BulieeM) November 8, 2024
According to EWN, travellers were forced to divert their plans, while trade was also affected as the border is key for the expert of resources to the Maputo harbour. Masiapato said the backlog of cargo would be difficult to clear but operations are underway.
“The place called Kilometre 4 had been seriously destroyed – the computers had been taken and on that basis, they had to replace those computers and make sure that they are able to reconnect and start with customs processing,” he said.
While the movement of people is being allowed now, Masiapato has called on leisure travellers to continue delaying their travel to Mozambique until tensions have been quelled.
According to Newzroom Afrika, Masiapato explained that the partial reopening was to ensure the Mozambicans can get home safely but did not want South Africans to go through to the other side. He said cargo has still been delayed as the Mozambican site is not ready.
“What it means is that, all of these trucks, these are empty trucks that have been stuck on the Mozambican side and they are South Africa-registered trucks. So these trucks, there is not much customs that is done because they are not bringing any cargo,” he said.
#Newzroom405‘s @NqobileMadlala_ gets the latest from the Border Management Authority commissioner following a meeting with the Mozambican authorities. The meeting was to discuss how the port will be operated as political tensions continue in Mozambique.
Watch:… pic.twitter.com/U9sNCQdfx1
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) November 8, 2024
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
