Johannesburg – Travelers are making their way back to South Africa after visiting Zimbabwe for the festive season and the Beitbridge post which bridges South Africa and Zimbabwe is experiencing high traffic volumes while trying to ensure compliance with the COVID-19 regulations.
In December last year, thousands of Zimbabweans were caught up in heavy congestion at the border as they tried to get home.
It took days for the congestion to clear up.
The department worked with the Department of Health, the SA National Defence Force, the South African Police Service, the South African Revenue Service and the Limpopo provincial government to resolve the impasse that had led to traffic congestion at Beitbridge.
The Musina Local Municipality provided additional holding areas, which enabled vehicles going to the border to be released to travel in manageable numbers.
The municipality also provided ablution facilities and water along the route from the town of Musina to the port of entry.
Take a look at the current congestion and reactions from Twitter below:
The Beitbridge border crisis is a summary of the Zimbabwean crisis – a broken economy, chronic unemployment, poverty & repression. People will do anything to leave in search of jobs & a decent life. Sadly, the regime in Harare is unmoved.
We need new leaders.🇿🇼 pic.twitter.com/TUIwEnpYru
— Fadzayi Mahere🇿🇼 (@advocatemahere) January 5, 2021
Beitbridge? 😳 pic.twitter.com/HqvqdyvJ2f
— K U L A N I (@kulanicool) January 5, 2021
Zimbabwe 🇿🇼 will always be a tale of two classes. There is one class who are sitting pretty, posting seafood dishes on Insta.
Then there is the other class, literally sitting on top of each other at Beitbridge border, trying to get passage into SA to eke a meagre living.— Sue Nyathi (@SueNyathi) January 5, 2021
The desperation in that Beitbridge border crossing video is harrowing. Equally, the number of people gathered in absence of social distancing protocols will pose a severe public health threat for South Africa. The failure of our foreign policy regarding Zim is palpable
— Ryan Cummings (@Pol_Sec_Analyst) January 5, 2021
That looks like a whole lotta covid there by beitbridge border post💀💀then they come back home💀 pic.twitter.com/nWjijMBEU2
— The Breezy Oan (@OnlyBrianT) January 5, 2021
What's happening at the Beitbridge is very traumatizing.
It's very sad.
It shows how bad the situation at Zimbabwe is and how desperate Zimbabweans are to find jobs in South Africa and South Africa on it's own has it's own unemployment problems. pic.twitter.com/CWCiiae9CI— Xolani Ngcobo (@XolaniNgcobo167) January 5, 2021
After the Beitbridge border closes at 9pm…people crossing the border also sleep. pic.twitter.com/fGO81G6Aie
— 🌻Maqhawe The Original🌻 (@MaqPaulM) January 5, 2021
https://twitter.com/stolencarRSA/status/1345786668595499009
Dear @DrZweliMkhize
If we are in a second wave, why are borders opened?
Why is beitbridge opened?
— AttorneyAtLaw (@ZacMoselane) January 3, 2021
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