Beit Bridge Border under the spotlight
Posted Jun 03, 2009
As a major regional border post, Beit Bridge has become notorious for long, long delays for both commercial and private traffic. Agencies and infrastructure are stretched and patience is tested but these side-effects are almost minor in relation to the huge cost to business of the delays and, consequently, the economies of the region.
RTFP is already working with the Governments of Zambia and Zimbabwe on the installation of a One Stop Border Post (OSBP) at Chirundu and is assisting planning between Mozambique and South Africa at Lebombo Ressano Garcia on the Maputo Corridor. Now the expertise which has been gained is being contributed towards discussions on potential improvements at Beit Bridge.
The group of stakeholders who met and considered problems and issues have recommended that both sides of the border should operate on a 24 hour basis and that the old bridge should be re-opened to facilitate the movement of traffic with the long term aim of operating an OSBP. Two weeks after the meeting, the old bridge was re-opened with an immediate impact on traffic movements.
Since many buses now operate as freight carriers for informal traders it was suggested that they should be treated as commercial vehicles. It was also recommended that the large number of buses which use the border should be forced to adhere to pre-agreed timetables so that their passage could be better managed. The significant contribution of informal traders was acknowledged and suggestions made as to how their movement could be handled more efficiently.
Good communications between the two sides are also urgently needed (they may by physically only a few hundred metres apart but telecommunications still have to be relayed back through the countries) so another recommendation was for a fibre optic cable to link them.
Staff housing will also need to be increased and joint inspection/control monitoring/training carried out.
The workshop agreed that the process will be taken forward by a working group, comprising a representative from Transport, customs and immigration authorities from the two countries; Tansporters and Freight forwarders ; RTFP; SADC and the Federation of East & Southern African Road Transport Associations ( FESARTA).