Pretoria - In anticipation of high traveller volumes ahead of the Easter weekend, Minister of Home Affairs Naledi Pandor announced the extension of working hours and deployment of additional staff to a number of ports of entry across the country.

Minister Pandor made the announcement today, Thursday 28 March during her visit to Beitbridge Border gate, where she is assessing the current state of readiness to facilitate the smooth movement of travellers between South Africa and Zimbabwe.

In this regard, Minister Pandor further announced the deployment of extra personnel to beef up existing human resource capacity at Beitbridge, Lebombo and Maserubridge. Thus Beitbridge will receive additional 130 members, Lebombo 89 members and Maserubridge 60 members.

The announcements of extended operational hours and additional staff deployments to various ports of entry over the Easter holiday period comes within the context of the determination and commitment of the department to ensure delivery of efficient and professional immigration services as part of our responsibility to facilitate the smooth movement of people, goods and services during this period.

Furthermore, Minister Pandor has now authorized the extension of working hours as follows: 

Extended operational hours:

Minister Pandor, extends her best wishes to all those travelling through our ports of entry ahead of the Easter Holidays and wishes them a safe and peaceful holiday, while urging them to arrive alive. Simultaneously, Minister Pandor expresses her deepest appreciation to those Home Affairs officials who will be deployed during this period to deliver services to those travelling through our ports of entry during the Easter Weekend.

Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa at 082-990-4853 Home Affairs Department, 28 March 2013.