South African and Mozambican authorities are stepping up cooperation to address delays affecting commercial trucks at the Lebombo Border Post in Mpumalanga.
The Border Management Authority (BMA) and the South African Revenue Service (SARS) say they are working with their Mozambican counterparts to improve the processing of commercial vehicles and facilitate the movement of goods between the two countries.
Mozambique has deployed officials to assist with processing as authorities respond to long queues along the busy Lebombo corridor.
BMA Deputy Assistant Commissioner Mmemme Mogotsi said the delays cannot be attributed to a single issue, describing the congestion as a complex challenge affecting the wider corridor.
She said the high volume of commercial traffic, infrastructure capacity, operating conditions on both sides of the border, traffic management and compliance requirements were among the factors contributing to the delays.
Mogotsi said the system used to process trucks at Kilometre 7 relies on close cooperation between South African and Mozambican authorities.
“The processing of trucks at Kilometre 7 is intended to operate as a joint operational arrangement between the South African and Mozambican authorities,” she said.
“Its effectiveness, therefore, depends on the availability and deployment of personnel, systems and operational arrangements from both countries.”
The latest measures highlight the importance of coordinated operations between the neighbouring countries as authorities work to improve the movement of commercial goods through one of the region’s key border corridors.