Traffic flowed smoothly on the N1 between Polokwane, Beitbridge border post

The traffic was flowing smoothly for most of Good Friday on the N1 between Polokwane and the Beitbridge border post between South Africa and Zimbabwe.

This as travellers are continuing to make their way to various destinations.

Most people have been crossing towards Zimbabwe and other SADC countries.

The Home Affairs officials have also arrested undocumented foreign nationals.

There was a high number of buses and minibus taxis carrying people at the Beitbridge Border Post. The customs officials have processed thousands of travellers crossing the border into Zimbabwe and also into the country.\

A long queue of trucks which stretched up to a kilometre could be seen at the weighbridge.

Truck driver Enoch Chikodo says, unlike in previous years, the roads are not congested this year.

“I’m spending the Easter on the road, on transit and I’m happy because this Easter the roads are not congested. The border is not congested, so we are moving freely.”

A holidaymaker Capsper Tavuringa says he’s happy to go back home, to spend the entire Easter holidays with his family.

“I’m preparing to see my mom. During Easter we just want to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, so everyone in my family will go to church on Easter, we don’t sleep at home. We just travel about 300 to 400 kilometers away for Gungano in Shona.”

On Good Friday eve, 60 undocumented foreign nationals were arrested during a safety operation campaign at the border post.

A foreign national, Richclief Chikwenhure, makes a living by jumping the border illegally several times a day, with clients’ goods into Zimbabwe. He says his home is less than four kilometres from the Zimbabwean side of the border.

“My daily job is just walking by the border without my details. I just crossed because of money. If I’ve got money then the police officers will allow me to cross from and to both the countries, South Africa and Zimbabwe each and everyday, maybe several times a day. So, it’s not difficult to make that. It’s difficult for those people who are coming far away. We have been here for 10 years. We use any road in the water, we are not scared of crocodiles and hippopotamus, because we know how to treat them in the water.”

The safety operation campaign at the border post is expected to continue for the next two weeks.

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