The Border Management Authority warns travellers of peak Easter volumes, extending key port operating hours. Plan ahead, carry valid passports, and expect increased traffic at busy crossings from March 31 to April 9.
Image: File
The Border Management Authority (BMA) says traveller volumes during the Easter peak could more than double, with some of the country’s busiest ports of entry expected to process over 25,000 travellers a day as the government ramps up operations and extends border operating hours.
BMA Commissioner Michael Masiapato said the authority was preparing for a sharp rise in traffic over the holiday period, with extended operating hours approved at several land ports to ease congestion and improve movement in and out of the country.
“During this peak period, we expect significant traveller as well as traffic volumes potentially reaching double the baseline and exceeding around 25,000 travellers per day, particularly at our busiest port of entry,” Masiapato said during a media briefing.
He said historical travel patterns showed the peak departure day would be Thursday, April 2, while the return leg would likely peak on Easter Monday, April 6.
“We have intentionally emphasised these dates so that we can then encourage the travellers, as well as stakeholders, to take note and appropriately plan their journey in advance, including considering any travel options where possible.
“Just last year, OR Tambo International Airport, Lebombo, and Beitbridge processed more than 514,000 travellers combined over a 10-day period,” he said. “OR Tambo International Airport alone handled more than 220,000 individuals in the same period,” he added.
Masiapato said Easter travel was particularly challenging to manage because the short period concentrates departures and returns within a few days. “When it comes to the Easter period, everything converges at a go in a particular period,” he said.
To manage the surge, the BMA has extended operating hours at key land ports that are not 24-hour facilities.
At the Botswana border, Groblersbrug will operate 24 hours on April 2, close at midnight on April 3 and 4, and return to 24-hour operations on April 5 and 6. From April 7, it will revert to normal hours, 6 am to 10 pm.
Kopfontein will run 24 hours on April 2 and 5, Masiapato said. Its normal operating hours are 6 am to 10 pm.
At the Mozambique border, Lebombo already operates 24/7, so no changes were required, he said.
Instead, focus has shifted to Kosi Bay, which usually operates from 8 am to 5 pm. The port has already moved to extended hours from 6 am to 6 pm from March 27 and will continue until April 10.
“This was informed by the fact that after the school closes, a lot of people start actioning their holidays on the basis of school closure,” he said. “That is why the extension of the operating hours for Kosi Bay has been done a bit earlier.”
At the Eswatini border, Golela will remain open until 10 pm from April 2 to 3 and again on April 5 and 6.
Mananga will operate until 9 pm on April 1 to 2 and April 5 to 6.
On the Lesotho border, Sani Pass will close at 7 pm instead of 6 pm on April 1 and 2.
Caledonspoort and Van Rooyens Gate will operate 24 hours on April 2 and until midnight on April 5 and 6, while Maseru Bridge will remain open until 6 pm on April 2, 3, 5, and 6.
“Once indicated, this is because the 2nd is one of those critical dates. On the 5th as well as on the 6th, we are then going to be running from 6 in the morning, and we are going to be closing at midnight instead of closing at 10,” Masiapato said.
The BMA’s Easter operation will run for 10 days, from March 31 to April 9. It will be split into a departure phase from March 31 to April 4, and a return phase from April 5 to 9.
Masiapato said the authority would intensify operations at all 71 ports of entry and along key transit corridors, with increased surveillance at vulnerable points along the borderline.
“This includes increased processing capabilities, streamlined border checks, ensuring a smooth and reinforced security to facilitate safe, as well as efficient traveller movement while preventing illegal activity,” he said.
He said enhanced deployment would include high-visibility personnel and rapid response teams, particularly on peak days. Queue management measures will prioritise elderly travellers, people with disabilities, and those travelling with children.
Tourism safety monitors from the Department of Tourism have also been briefed to support the operation.
Beyond Easter, Masiapato said the authority was already preparing for future operations, including the next festive season and the 46th SADC Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government later this year. After Easter, the BMA will move into a structured demobilisation phase from April 10, followed by a sustainment phase focused on reviewing performance and preparing for future border operations.
“This phase is underpinned by the implementation of comprehensive post-operational assessment, mainly aimed at evaluating operational effectiveness, identifying the gaps, and capturing key lessons to inform future operations,” Masiapato said.
Masiapato said the BMA has intensified access-control measures across all ports of entry, warning that the authority will take a tough stance on corruption. The crackdown applies not only to officials but also to travellers who collude with them.
“In this instance, we talk about our own officials but also those travellers that effectively collude with our own officials. I think we have already demonstrated that over 50 of our own have effectively lost their jobs, primarily because they were found doing things outside the legislative framework,” he said.
He has reminded travellers that presenting a valid passport is mandatory for entering or exiting the country.
“It has to be machine-readable. Machine-readable basically means your passport will be run through a machine, and all your biographical data must be able to be populated automatically,” Masiapato explained.
“If it doesn’t, it means the passport is not valid. On that basis, you will not be processed either to enter or exit the republic, and that is the provision.”
Masiapato also urged parents and guardians travelling with minors to ensure they meet all legal requirements.
“If you’re a father, you’re travelling with a child without the mother, the mother must be able to give an affidavit or a written statement to confirm that she is aware that you’re exiting the country with her child, and that applies vice versa.
''If you are a guardian, you should be able to present the written confirmation from both parents of the child that they are aware that their child is exiting the country with you,” he said.
hope.ntanzi@iol.co.za
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