The Groblersbrug Border Post, a vital transit route between South Africa and Botswana, has resumed operations ahead of schedule after being temporarily closed due to severe flooding. Operations at the border, which had been halted following significant damage caused by the Limpopo River breaking its banks, were back on track by 10am on January 29.
This swift reopening comes as a relief to transporters, especially considering the flooding’s impact, which forced the evacuation of Customs personnel and caused considerable damage to facilities.
Initially, it was feared the border post would remain closed well into February, disrupting the north-south trade route that connects South Africa with the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia, bypassing Zimbabwe.
Read | Furious Truckers Deflate Tyres of Queue-Jumping Driver at Kopfontein BordeLouise Wiggett of Global Trade Solution confirmed that the South African Revenue Service (SARS), under the leadership of Beyers Theron, had worked tirelessly to restore operations. She also praised regional SARS manager Memory Ndou for her pivotal role in ensuring the border post’s early reopening.
“She’s a real star. Without her, I don’t know how we would’ve managed,” said Wiggett. “Ultimately, it comes down to teamwork, and in this instance, everyone involved, especially from SARS, pulled together.”
The closure of Groblersbrug had led to a massive influx of freight traffic at the Kopfontein Border Post, causing queues stretching over 15km at times. With the reopening of Groblersbrug, standing times at Kopfontein are expected to reduce significantly, bringing relief to transporters who were facing long delays.
In another positive development for the road freight industry, the Oshoek Border Post also resumed operations on January 29 after being closed due to a crash involving a runaway truck on January 26.
The incident, which left three border officials injured but fortunately no fatalities, had temporarily halted both freight and passenger traffic.
With both border posts now functioning smoothly, transporters can expect reduced delays and improved efficiency in cross-border movement.
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