Lebombo border now open 24/7 for trucks
Home affairs announced that the Lebombo Border Post started operating for 24 hours a day, for truck drivers only, from December 9.
The arrangement will continue to January 10, 2022, as a temporary solution to ease the truck congestion towards Mozambique during the festive season.
Last week, Lowvelder reported that trucking companies were being forced to their knees, having lost an estimated R1.3bn in revenue this year alone due to the ongoing congestion.
The situation was said to be the worst it has been in 15 years. Since August, freight trucks have been waiting up to three days to cross the border.
The queue of trucks between Komatipoort and Lebombo ranged from between seven and 15km long.
The home affairs minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, approved a temporary extension of operating times at the Lebombo Border Post to enable a continuous processing of truck drivers.
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The border will operate 24 hours a day for truck drivers, but other travellers will be processed during the hours that fall outside the curfew.
This extension period excludes weekends, public holidays and December 17 and 24.
Non-freight travellers who arrive after 17:30 will be asked to turn around and head home.
Motorists who arrives before 17:30 will be served and not turned away.
To avoid unnecessary traffic on the route, TRAC has recommended road users who are travelling to Komatipoort or the Kruger National Park to use the Tenbosch turn-off.
To properly prepare for the Lebombo Border Post, make sure you have the following in your possession at all times
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• Passports.
• Unabridged birth certificates of children with certified copies, no more than three months old.
• Vehicle and trailer registration papers.
• Vehicle and trailer licences.
• Compulsory third-party insurance.
• Sticker indicating country of registration and towing sticker (blue sticker with yellow triangle inside).
• Red reflector triangles.
• Spare tyres for vehicle and trailer.
• Fire extinguisher.
• Reflector vests.
• Since Monday, rapid Covid tests have been made available at the border. If you entered Mozambique on a negative PCR test, then test positive for Covid at the rapid test border, you will be required to head straight home to isolate.
Only rapid tests at the Mozambican side will be accepted. This will apply for Lebombo and Kosi Bay.
