Road hauliers blame government handling of Covid-19 testing for queues up to 25km long 07 January 2021 - 13:03 Mpumzi Zuzile Picture: REUTERS
Road hauliers have blamed the SA government for delays at the Lebombo border post between SA and Mozambique, where a large number of trucks are creating huge congestion.
The delays have been blamed on traffic management and the way Covid-19 testing is being done on the SA side of the border.
“We support the requirement for the testing to be done‚ but border personnel are overwhelmed and cannot cope with the situation‚” said Mike Fitzmaurice, CEO of the Federation of East and Southern African Road Transport Associations (Fesarta).
South African exports still constrained amid Covid-19 restrictions Shipments of metals, ores and alloys from South Africa in the week to Thursday January 14 were still subject to delays and logistical disruptions caused by Covid-19-related restrictions. Chrome deliveries to the port of Maputo in Mozambique have been severely disrupted over the past two weeks amid queues as long as 25km at Lebombo, a major land border crossing. And the cobalt intermediates payable soared to a record high due to congestion at land borders in South Africa, where most cobalt that is mined in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) goes to be shipped.