Truck drivers of long distance are reporting a surge in traffic and long queues of vehicles as Lebombo Border opens.
Lebombo border crossing was closed on 11 January as Mpumalanga and the rest of the country moved to level 3 lockdown. Long queues of haulage trucks, private vehicles and people on foot mostly comprising of migrants from Mozambique coming into South Africa were observed at Lebombo border post. A Lebombo border official said, “Delays and congestion being experienced, is apparently due to Covid-19 screening and testing. Truckers going to Mozambique have to exercise patience at this border crossing, however, these issues are known to the responsible authorities and measures are being employed to sort it out.”
A Delmas long distance trucker, Bongani Masego, reported to the Highveld Chronicle that, “These lockdowns and border closures are affecting our work. I now spend much of my working hours in queues and I am being delayed on the road.” He continued, “I need to rest and eat plus from time to time I need the use of a toilet. Right now I am personally concerned about armed robbers and hijackers on the highways.”
According to trucking industry experts, the local freight industry continues to lose millions due to bad traffic that cause delays. By time of going to print, the publication was yet to get comments from Truckers Association of South Africa.
Crispen Moyo, an immigrant truck driver said, “My employer lost a lot of money before the border was closed on 11 January. Six of his trucks were caught up in queues while crossing into South Africa through the Lebombo border crossing station in Komatipoort.” “The government should speed up their efforts to establish a one stop border post. These traffic congestions can only get worse in the future. Migrants and truckers crossing back and forth via the border in Mpumalanga soon after border openings are facing difficult experiences and it needs to be fixed,” Moyo added.
The national spokesperson for the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Leaders (Cogta), Lungi Mtshali said, “… the 20 land borders that were providing limited or restricted services are now fully operational… Some of the borders were open 24 hours and some were open until midnight but due to the curfew and restrictions those borders will now close at 21:00.”
Lebombo Border connects South Africa and Mozambique and has in the past been described as a disaster by freight associations and travellers alleging that Lebombo border crossing station is severely understaffed. The Home Affairs Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, conducted an oversight visit at Lebombo border post on 15 February to monitor the implementation of plans to process travellers through the ports. He urged truck drivers to adhere to the laws, regulations and agreements in place at the border areas in order to minimize congestion. Motsoaledi indicated that, “… the department has increased its engagements with officials in neighbouring countries, provinces with land borders and other stakeholders to improve coordination of efforts.”
