Cape Town — The Border Management Authority (BMA) announced it is ready to handle the high number of travellers expected on the roads ahead of the Easter Weekend.
The BMA commissioner, Michael Masiapato, said several measures will be taken to ensure that operations run smoothly at ports of entry and said officials have engaged their counterparts in neighbouring countries on ways to improve the movement of travellers, EWN reported.
“Even in this Easter period we engaged our counterparts in Lesotho as well as Botswana and agreed on extended operating hours which are not operating on a 24-hour basis,” Masiapato said.
“The number of travellers for this year’s Easter holiday period could escalate further as ZCC, one of the biggest churches in the region, is opening its annual pilgrimage to Moria in Limpopo for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.” – Border Management Authority pic.twitter.com/tZJDTzFQA2
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) March 25, 2024
Masiapato added that the BMA will be deploying an additional 400 junior border guards to assist with law enforcement, SABC News reported.
“Upon realizing the need for additional capacity we increased our human resource deployment for immigration, law enforcement duties as well as provide capacity for operational and tactical support across our ports of entry. We will be deploying the 400 additional junior border guards who are currently at college. We deploying them for experiential learning on the port of entry.” he said.
“They have been trained across all of the various activities that take place at the ports and our targeted ports are the busiest ports of entry to assist with the delivery of services.” he added.
[WATCH] BMA Commissioner Michael Masiapato on the accelerated security controls and deployments at the ports for the Easter period: “BMA has engaged with responsible stakeholders to extend hours at some ports of entry.” #Newzroom405 pic.twitter.com/6QQaPu6cv3
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) March 25, 2024
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
