Zimbabwe and South Africa are set to fully operationalise a one-stop border post at Beitbridge in 2024 that will fast-track trade between the two neighbouring countries.
This was revealed by South African Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi in an interview with Bloomberg. He said:
We all know the frustration of travellers when they go through Beitbridge: the long queues, the long waiting times, the congestion.
Now, the one-stop border post is going to do away with all that because it involves massive infrastructural changes, not just operational changes.
Beitbridge Border Post is one of Africa’s busiest land borders, with about 25,000 people and 500 trucks passing through daily.
A one-stop border would harmonize customs clearance procedures between the two countries, resulting in expedited clearance from customs officials.
Reports indicate that currently, it takes up to four days to be cleared due to the long queues, the long waiting times, and congestion.
Motsoaledi told the publication that the process will include the construction of a building for immigration officials and separate traffic lanes for commercial, private and public vehicles as well as a pedestrian pathway.