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).
Covid test certificate demand causes huge congestion that will force many companies to close, industry warns 11 January 2021 - 20:00
Delays caused by Covid-19 testing protocols at SA’s busiest land borders have cost the road freight industry more than R2.5bn and has sparked a growing humanitarian crisis, warns Southern Africa’s largest transport association.
Thousands of commuters, truck drivers and holidaymakers have been stranded for up to seven days in queues stretching nearly 20km into Zimbabwe and Mozambique as people enter SA.
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Citizen reporter Truck queues now stretch more than 25km and temperatures often exceed 32°C, putting lives and livelihoods are at stake, say Fesarta and the SA Association of Freight Forwarders. A long convoy of vehicles, stretching several kilometres towards Beitbridge border post in Musina. The border connects South Africa with Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia, the DRC and northern Mozambique. Picture: Camilo Ramada
Federation of East and Southern African Road Transport Associations (Fesarta) chief executive officer Mike Fitzmaurice said in a statement: “We support the requirement for the testing to be done but border personnel are overwhelmed and cannot cope with the situation.