23 December 2022

The Commissioner of the Border Management Authority (BMA), Dr Mike Masiapato, is leading a team of senior government officials that are working in the border law enforcement environment to monitor the implementation of the 2022/23 Border Law Enforcement Festive Season Plan.

Commissioner Masiapato’s team is undertaking the monitoring visit to support the plan, which has been implemented since 07 December 2022 and, where necessary, to speedily resolve challenges that may arise.

The visit covers the busiest ports during this period. These are:

  • Beitbridge with Zimbabwe;
  • Lebombo with Mozambique;
  • Maseru Bridge with Lesotho;
  • Ficksburg with Lesotho;
  • Oshoek with Eswatini; and
  • Kosibay with Mozambique.

The implementation of this plan involves all law enforcement authorities under the banner of the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) and the Provincial Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (PROVJOINTS).

A key characteristic of this plan is that all the departments that operate in the border law enforcement area have increased their capacity in anticipation of higher cross border movements during the festive period.

Further, Minister Motsoaledi has approved the extension of operating hours in some key Ports of Entry which are not operating on a 24 hour basis and those are as follows;

Country

Port of Entry

Regular hours

Extended hours

Period/Dates

Mozambique

Kosibay

08:00 – 17:00

06:00 – 18:00

15 Dec 2022 to 08 Jan 2023

Eswatini

Mahamba

07:00 – 22:00

07:00 – 00:00

15 Dec 2022

23-24 Dec 2022

Lesotho

Sani Pass

06:00 – 18:00

06:00 – 20:00

15-16 Dec 2022

23-24 Dec 2022

Lesotho

 

Caledonspoort

 

06:00 – 22:00

06:00 – 00:00

15-16 Dec 2022

24 Dec 2022 to 08 Jan 2023

06:00 – 22:00

24 hours

23 Dec to 02 Jan 2023

Lesotho

Pekabridge

08:00 – 16:00

08:00 – 18:00

15-16 Dec 2022

23-24 Dec 2022

02 Jan 2023

Lesotho

 

Van Rooyensgate

 

06:00 – 22:00

06:00 – 00:00

15-16 Dec 2022

24 Dec 2022 to 08 Jan 2023

06:00 – 22:00

24 hours

23 Dec to 02 Jan 2023

 

Beitbridge, Lebombo, Oshoek, Ficksburg and Maseru Bridge are already operating on a 24 hours basis.

 

Members of the media are invited to cover the visits of Commissioner Masiapato as follows:

1. Date: 24 December 2022

Time: 10:00

Venue: Beitbridge

2. Date: 02 January 2023

Time: 10:00

Venue: Maseru Bridge

3. Date: 06 January 2023

Time: 10:00

Venue: Beitbridge

 

Enquiries:

Bongi Gwala 066 588 3251 (Head of Communication: Department of Home Affairs)

Siya Qoza, ‪082 898 1657 (Spokesperson for the Minister of Home Affairs)

David Hlabane, ‪071 342 4284 (Media Manager: Department of Home Affairs) 


ISSUED BY DEPARTMENT OF HOME AFFAIRS ON BEHALF OF THE INTER-MINISTERIAL CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE ON BORDER MANAGEMENT