Land borders open
ORDINARY travellers fully vaccinated against Covid-19 started accessing the country’s land borders yesterday after Government lifted restrictions that prohibited nonessential travel in the past two years.
The restrictions were part of a broader plan to contain spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
A fortnight ago, Cabinet approved the reopening of land borders to ordinary travellers provided they are fully vaccinated.
However, the borders had not been opened pending necessary regulations.
Land borders opened yesterday on the strength of a general notice number 421 of 2022 issued by the Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Kazembe Kazembe on Friday.
“The Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage hereby notifies every police officer, customs officer, and immigration officer that the entry and exit of persons into or out of Zimbabwe at all ports of entry and exit is permitted subject to the provisions of Statutory Instrument 18 of 2022, on Public Health (Covid-19 Prevention, Containment, and Treatment) (Amendment order, 2022 (No 40),” read the notice.
Zimbabwe borders Mozambique on the east, Botswana on the west, Zambia on the north and South Africa on the south.
The 11 official ports of entry for Zimbabwe include Beitbridge (with South Africa), Sango, Forbes and Nyamapanda (with Mozambique), Chirundu, Kariba and Victoria Falls (with Zambia), Plumtree, Mpoengs, Maitengwe and Mlambapele (with Botswana).
Prior to the latest decision, only commercial cargo and Zimbabweans with permits to live or work in other countries were allowed to depart via land borders.
Returning immigrants and those migrants with valid permits to be in the country were being allowed via the borders.
Acting immigration in-charge-of Beitbridge, Mr Trustworthy Manatsire, said: “We are ready, we have deployed enough manpower which is already vaccinated against Covid-19 to handle an increase in human and vehicular traffic in line with the new regulations.
We have also informed our counterparts in South Africa on the latest developments and they have started adjusting their operations.”
He said they were expecting traffic to start peaking in the next three days and that travellers should, in addition to a valid passport, be in possession of a full vaccination card and a negative Covid-19 certificate (PCR test).
Zimborders Consortium’s chief executive officer Mr Francois Diedrechsen said the reopening of land borders will not affect the ongoing civil works at the Beitbridge Border Post, which is being modernised at a cost of US$300 million.
“There will be no effects; construction was always planned in phases for the pre and post-Covid-19 period, so as to allow normal traffic to keep flowing while construction continues.
For now, passenger traffic will continue to use the old terminal until 31 May when the buses’ terminal will be open. We have opened some extra parking space for them in the short term,” he said.
Beitbridge Senator Tambudzani Mohadi said the opening of the land borders will revive the town’s economy, which is driven by cross-border related activities.
“We are excited with this move, which will help our residents and ratepayers who survive on cross border-related activities.
The full operation of the border has a spillover effect for businesses in our town,” said Beitbridge town clerk Mr Loud Ramakgapola.
A veteran cross-border bus driver Mr Cleto Zharare said his constituency was delighted with the prospects of plying the usually lucrative trips across borders.
Chairperson of the Beitbridge Informal Cross Border Traders Associations Mr Mafios Macheka encouraged his colleagues to honour their obligations through making use of formally designated entry points and at the same time observing laid down Covid-19 protocols.
Customs clearing agents shared the same sentiments, with Mr Peter Pirato saying increased access to the borders will help address challenges their clients were facing in procuring goods in the region and internationally. — The Chronicle
