Johannesburg – Home Affairs Minister Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi has authorised several ports of entry in South Africa to extend their operating hours to cater to increased cross-border movements during the festive season.
Some ports of entry including Beitbridge, Lebombo, Oshoek, Ficksburg, and Maseru Bridge are already operating around the clock.
“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,” the minister said.
Dr. Motsoaledi has approved the extension of operating hours in some key ports of entry, which are not operating on a 24-hour basis as follows:
Meanwhile, 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 7 December 2022, and, where necessary, to speedily resolve challenges that may arise.
The visit covers the busiest ports during this period.
“The implementation of this plan involves all law enforcement authorities under the banner of the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure and the Provincial Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure,” SA Home Affairs said Friday.
In a related development earlier this week on Thursday, customs officers of the South African Revenue Service (SARS) seized possible counterfeit shoes with an estimated value of R3 million.
The haul was made by officers from the Customs Detector Dog Unit (DDU) at the Lebombo border post at the weekend.
In a statement SARS said the customs officers searched a truck with two trailers entering South Africa.
“The DDU found 5237 pairs of various branded (possibly counterfeit) shoes and sandals. The items were found loaded in the back of the trailers of the truck,” South Africa’s revenue collector said.
“The shoes were handed over to the South African Customs State Warehouse for further processing and engagement with the relevant brand holders for confirmation of the authenticity of the items.”
