Beitbridge Bureau Chief
The Department of Immigration is geared for the increase in traffic expected to pass through Beitbridge Border Post during this year’s festive holidays.
In an interview last week, the officer-in-charge of Beitbridge (Southern Region), Mr Charles Gwede, said they had come up with a host of measures to ensure the smooth flow of traffic.
Mr Gwede said they had requested for additional 15 staffers from less busy stations in anticipation of the human and vehicular traffic surge coming into and leaving Zimbabwe.
The department has a staff complement of 55 at Beit-bridge.
"At the moment, we are operating on four shifts and with effect from the 10th of December until the 16th of January next year, we will suspend all off and leave days.
"Immigration officials from Zimbabwe and South Africa have agreed to implement a similar clearance programme to ensure the speedy flow of traffic.
"The police will also be engaged to assist in maintaining order and providing queue marshals at all clearing points.
"More immigration clearing cubicles will be opened outside the main immigration hall if we have more traffic.
"Past experience has shown that most industries in South Africa have their annual shut down from December 10 and hence we need to be equal to the task."
He said they would separate traffic into pedestrians, buses, commercial, tourists and private motorists. Presently all these are cleared at the same counters.
"On average we clear between 1 500 and 2 000 people per day and clear about 15 000 during holidays," said Mr Gwede.
Immigration and police patrols have been beefed up to clamp down on crime. Mr Gwede said the presence of touts was fuelling corruption and scaring away tourists.
Government declared Beitbridge Border Post, a security zone in 2004 and the National Taskforce on Image, Communication and Tourism adopted a zero tolerance for crime.
published by the Herald 2 December 2010
www.herald.co.zw
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