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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
ABOUT 20,000 people, mostly Zimbabweans based in South Africa returning home for the festive season, are passing through Beitbridge Border Post daily as activity at the busiest port of entry and exit in Southern Africa has heightened.

The number of returning residents is reported to have peaked on Friday evening, with about 23,000 people having passed through the border.

The increased activity has prompted Immigration and customs departments from Zimbabwe and South Africa to come up with a host of measures to ease congestion at the border post.

More immigration and customs officials have been deployed to both sides of the border.

Traffic has since been separated into pedestrians, buses, visitors and private motorists.

Red and green routes zones have been activated on the Zimbabwean side to separate those with goods to declare from those without.

During off peak periods 8,000 to 10,000 people access the border post daily.

Queues were moving noticeably faster on both sides of the border yesterday.

Further the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) had opened more counters to facilitate the processing of temporary import permits for visitors bringing foreign registered cars into the country.

The customs authority has also deployed 40 more officers from less busy station to Beitbridge. Filter gates have also been opened at the border to ensure the smooth flow of vehicular traffic.

In previous years Zimra has been accused of causing chaos at the border post because of under deployments of workers.

Zimra’s Director of Legal and corporate affairs Florence Jambwa said the additional staff would assist in carrying out all processes relating to the movement of travellers and goods.

“Additional clearance points for processing all documentation required have also been established to augment what’s already at the station.

“Zimra has deployed sufficient staff to deal with the expected influx of travellers and traffic.

“We’ve always deployed reasonable numbers to allow travellers to be served promptly. However, the flow of traffic is not predictable. Furthermore, we need to note that the deployment of additional resources always comes at a cost which may be a limiting factor.

“We’ve nevertheless put in place sufficient resources to deal with the expected influx of travellers”, said Jambwa.

She also encouraged travellers to comply with instructions given (by border authorities) and avoid blocking traffic or causing disorder adding that client compliance will allow Zimra officers to facilitate prompt clearances.

The head of immigration department on the Zimbabwean border, Notions Tarisai, could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Dulibadzimu bus terminus and hiking spots on roads leading to Harare and Bulawayo have sprung to life once again as people travel to their respective destinations.