On Monday, 20 land borders reopened after more than a month of closure to try to curb the spread of COVID-19. But truck congestion remains an issue.

Truck driver Festus Mwiya said the drivers are tired of the queue. "Every time, let’s say that we don’t sleep, so now I have two nights of no sleeping, a day you are waiting to move," he said.

"At night you are waiting to move. But, you just move maybe a metre.” 

Truck drivers are asking both South African and Zimbabwean governments to improve infrastructure at the border to avoid congestions and delays. 

Home Affairs Deputy Minister Njabulo Nzuza said plans are afoot to improve the road and other infrastructure at the Beitbridge Border to address long-standing challenges including congestion.

Nzuza said the government put strict health measures in place to deal with the influx of foreign nationals. 

“Our biggest problem before was the concern around fraudulent test certificates. Everybody now knows that you can’t take chances.”

“We are confident that the systems that we have are strong enough and I think we would have seen the presence of the Department of Health together with the people who are working with them, to make sure that everybody who comes into the country is tested.” 

eNCA