Land borders expected to reopen

SA is aiming to open its land borders with neighbouring countries, which have been closed since January, but must first implement a host of new protocols to prevent the dire levels of congestion experienced over the festive period, says a Business Insider report. These new initiatives include the deployment of additional healthcare workers, ticketing systems for Covid tests and queue limits. If all goes according to plan, the National Coronavirus Command Council could reopen land borders this week. The Department of Home Affairs highlighted critical problems – arising from neighbouring countries’ lockdowns and ill-prepared border processing systems – which ultimately led to border closures on 11 January. The congestion at border posts, particularly at Beitbridge (connecting Zimbabwe) and Lebombo (linking Mozambique), was described as a ‘humanitarian crisis’ and ‘super-spreader‘ events. The reopening plan includes a crackdown on fake Covid-19 test certificates, as well as increasing personnel and enforcing queue limits. Truck drivers travelling through Beitbridge, who were blamed by Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi for causing the queueing chaos shortly before Christmas, will be forced to stay in designated holding areas when borders reopen. The queue between the weighbridge and Beitbridge border post will be limited to just 700m. Previously, these queues extended for several kilometres.