Zimbabwe – The volume of traffic has drastically increased at Beitbridge Border Post as travellers now spend on average four hours in queues to enter or leave South Africa.
It is understood that immigration departments on both sides of the border are battling to clear the high volume of traffic which has increased from an average of 10 000 to 20 000 per day.
The volume of traffic at Beitbridge Border Post started increasing towards the end of June after South Africa’s Home Affairs Department banned the payment of admission of guilt fines by migrants who had overstayed.
According to the new regulations, those who overstay by less than 30 days (first offence in 24 months period) shall be declared undesirable for a period of 12 months and those who repeat a similar offence in 24 months shall be declared undesirable for a period of 24 months.
Those who overstay by 30 days or more will be declared undesirable for a period of five years.
Prior to the new arrangement, travellers charged with overstaying in that country were fined R1 000 which was payable at the port of entry or at the South African embassies in their respective countries. Long queues have become common especially on the South African side, while travellers are being cleared speedily on the Zimbabwean side…
South Africa Today Africa – Southern Africa Zimbabwe News
