Two of the busiest border crossings between Lesotho and South Africa—Maseru Bridge and Maputsoe Bridge—are set for significant upgrades following a landmark agreement aimed at streamlining trade and travel.
The improvements come as part of an end-to-end time release study (TRS), which will analyze border procedures to identify and eliminate bottlenecks. This initiative follows South Africa’s decision to grant 90-day visa exemptions to ordinary passport holders from Lesotho, easing cross-border movement.
Lesotho’s government has pledged to use data from the study to reduce delays, enhance efficiency, and harmonize procedures with South Africa. Officials highlighted that similar studies in other border posts have already cut processing times—from over two hours to just 10 minutes in some cases.
Trade stakeholders welcomed the move, noting persistent challenges, such as delays in customs inspections that can stretch from days to weeks. The TRS is expected to guide infrastructure upgrades and procedural reforms, ensuring smoother operations.
Both nations have committed to fast-tracking implementation of recent agreements, signaling a new era of regional cooperation.
