South African government will deploy additional immigration and health officials, and inspectors at various border posts as high traveler volumes are expected in the country starting from January 2, reported CGTN Africa.
Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi made the announcement at a press briefing on Wednesday about immigration matters and border law enforcement under the adjusted COVID-19 level-three lockdown.
Motsoaledi said that the government is expecting a massive movement of people due to the influx of people returning to the country and they want to ensure their smooth travel.
“Home Affairs will deploy an additional 160 officials at six busiest land ports of entry to process returning travelers until Jan.14,” said the South African minister.
He said that the additional officers will be deployed at the border posts with Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe.
Motsoaledi added that another 60 additional immigration law enforcement officers would be deployed to support the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) at identified high-risk areas along the borderline where people tend to cross illegally into the country.
Furthermore, the South African health department will deploy additional port health officials to all ports of entry to ensure that only travelers with valid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests are allowed into the country.
The minister said that travelers will have to present a valid PCR test or the antigen test report for COVID-19 while making an entry into the country. He said private laboratories, as well as military health services, will assist with testing, and more than 259 Port Health officials will also be deployed to all ports of entry, in addition to 278 contract community service personnel.
Beitbridge Border Post with Zimbabwe, Lebombo Border Post with Mozambique, Oshoek Border Post with the Kingdom of Eswatini, Maseru Bridge with Lesotho, Ficksburg with Lesotho, and Kopfontein with Botswana are among the busiest ports of entry.
