HOME Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi says a total of 6 585 617 traveller movements across all the country’s ports of entry were recorded during the festive season.
At that time, the Department of Home Affairs had deployed 404 additional staff from 03 December 2019 to 08 January 2020 to support smooth facilitation of movement of people and goods.
Addressing the media in Cape Town, Motsoaledi said the recorded movements were marginally lower when compared to the 6 645 630 traveller movements cleared in the 2018/19 festive period.
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From 1 December 2019 to 13 January 2020, a total of 10 362 travellers were refused movement during arrival or departure.
Motsoaledi explained that the main reasons for refused movements during arrival and departure include travellers on risk engines, expired passports, insufficient documentation and fraudulent documentation.
Top 10 ports of entry accounting for 9 344 refusals were: Beit Bridge (with Zimbabwe with 2 433 refusals); Lebombo (with Mozambique with 2 168); Maseru Bridge (with Lesotho with 1 524); Ficksburg (with Lesotho with 1 325); OR Tambo (787); Oshoek (with Swaziland with 380); Groblersbruge (with Botswana with 212); Van Rooyens Gate (with Lesotho with 208); Caledonspoort (with Lesotho with 180) and Tele Bridge (with Lesotho with 127).
During the same period, a total number of travellers who were declared undesirable due to over staying the period permitted on their visa was 18 127.
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