The processing of trucks at the previously problematic crossing has improved remarkably since the introduction of certain initiatives towards the end of October.
Minor challenges remain though, a queue of eleven trucks in the northbound lane on the N1 is nothing compared to the chaotic congestion at the transit during August, September and early October.
The fact that Zimbabwean border staff are now on hand to work at night, having accepted that they don’t have to adhere to post-sunset Covid restrictions, underscores the necessity of having essential workers at the busy border 24/7.
With regard to the separation of compliant cross-border operators from others, the figures of non-compliant hauliers removed into truck waiting areas also appear to be tapering off.
This suggests that penalties recently introduced by Zimbabwe for idling at the border due to clearing documents and the like that are not in order are having the desired effect.
Updated stats on Beitbridge and Kazungula border posts and bearing in mind that Kazungula has a brand new double lane bridge and two newly constructed OSBP facilities.
Beitbridge is currently processing 890 trucks per day on average over the last month of November in around 12 hours average while Kazungula is processing 200 trucks per day in 24 hours plus.
While Kazungula has seen a 54% increase in truck volumes per day from a 130 trucks per day before the new bridge and OSBPs were opened in May to 200 trucks per day the increase of 54% only accounts for 70 trucks per day.
Beitbridge on the other hand has dropped in numbers from 943 trucks per day in 2020 to 890 per day currently it is only a drop of 5.6% or 53 trucks per day. So in summary this does not support the theory and assumptions being made that Beitbridge is quiet and efficient due to transporters having moved to Grobelarsbrug to avoid paying the new ZIMBORDERS access fees.
Rather it means that Beitbridge due to the new ZIMBORDERS development on the Zim side has made the border more efficient and will make a world class state of the art facility and one of it’s kind in Africa when completed in and around this time next year.