WATCH | BMA, SARS step up measures to ease truck congestion at Lebombo
The Border Management Authority (BMA) and South African Revenue Service (SARS) have intensified interventions to address severe truck congestion at the Lebombo Port of Entry, acknowledging the impact of prolonged queues on commercial traffic, travellers, communities and the economy.
The authorities said the congestion was a complex, corridor-wide challenge driven by high volumes of commercial traffic, infrastructure limitations, operational conditions on both sides of the border and traffic-management and compliance issues.
The BMA said Mozambique had deployed officials to KM7 to assist with processing truck drivers following engagements between South African and Mozambican authorities.
The BMA also said its officials continued to work at KM7 daily, including when Mozambican counterparts were unavailable.
The two countries, together with the World Bank and other stakeholders, held a three-day engagement from 15 to 17 September focusing on the implementation of the One-Stop Border Post model and the upgrading and modernisation of border posts.
Truck volumes have placed further pressure on the corridor, particularly from Thursday to Sunday.
On 24 September, 1 690 trucks were processed, compared with 1 339 on 23 September, 1 734 on 22 September and 1 654 on 21 September. The authorities said the highest daily total during the previous two weeks exceeded 1 800 trucks.
According to the BMA and SARS, once trucks reach the appropriate processing points with the required documentation, end-to-end processing can take less than five minutes.
They said the major challenge was the number of trucks arriving at the corridor simultaneously and the limited road and holding infrastructure.
The port bypass can accommodate about 50 trucks at a time, meaning queues can extend along the corridor when volumes exceed its capacity.
The authorities identified several additional factors contributing to congestion, including vehicle breakdowns, queue jumping, trucks arriving without the required SARS "Proceed to Border" authorisation, double parking and drivers leaving vehicles in the roadway.
Some trucks also allegedly move into lanes intended for oncoming traffic to bypass queues, creating road-safety risks and causing accidents that can require temporary road closures.
Congestion on the Mozambican side of the border also affects traffic flowing towards Lebombo.
BMA Commissioner Dr Michael Masiapato said the authority understood the frustration caused by the queues but had to balance trade facilitation with enforcement and national-security responsibilities.
"We understand the economic importance of the Lebombo corridor and the urgency of ensuring that commercial traffic moves efficiently," Masiapato said.
He added that the BMA had not withdrawn from KM7 and would continue working with Mozambique to strengthen the joint operating model.
SARS is also strengthening its customs operations at the corridor, including at Building 310 and the canopy processing area.
The revenue service said it was at an advanced stage of finalising automated processing at KM7. Eight automatic number plate recognition cameras have been installed to monitor cargo movements between KM7 and KM4.
Four boom gates were also installed at KM7 during the past week, along with a goose-neck facility supporting the scanning of customs declarations and facial recognition.
SARS Commissioner Dr Johnstone Makhubu said automation would help process compliant cargo more efficiently while allowing officials to focus on identified risks.
The BMA and SARS said operational measures alone would not resolve the structural pressures created by growing commercial traffic.
Longer-term interventions include the modernisation and expansion of border infrastructure, implementation of the One-Stop Border Post model and increased rail capacity to provide additional options for moving goods.
The authorities are also working with Mozambican officials, SAPS, traffic authorities, the Cross-Border Road Transport Agency (CBRTA), the World Bank and other stakeholders.
Truck operators and drivers have been urged to comply with traffic-management and border-processing requirements, ensure vehicles are roadworthy and have all required documentation before entering the corridor.
The BMA and SARS said the congestion was being treated as an urgent matter and that immediate operational measures would continue alongside efforts to develop a modern, integrated and automated One-Stop Border Post.
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