Bid to block Beitbridge border hits brick wall

yesterday.

Limpopo police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe, said police would continue monitoring the situation.

“No incidents have been reported but we are closely monitoring the area for any developments,” he said.

Immigration authorities from both countries described the situation as business as usual.

ICTA president, Mr Denis Juru, said in an interview from his South African base that they had to disperse the few people who had gathered for the protest in Musina town.

“We failed to get clearance from both sides of the border. The police told us that the border post was a protected area where protests and demonstrations are not allowed.

“Our members wanted to protest within the Zimbabwean and South African components of the border. However, you will be informed of our next move in due course,” said Mr Juru.

He said the protest had been necessitated by complaints raised by their members over harassment and corrupt activities by border officials at Beitbridge mainly from the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra).

He said some of the issues include the scrapping of the Statutory Instrument 64 which removes the importation of listed basic commodities under the Open General Import Licence (OGIL).

Prior to the protests flop yesterday, Mr Juru was circulating a notice advising travellers about the imminent closure of the border if their demands were not met.

“Attention to all travellers and Cross-Border Traders!!! This serves to notify travellers that on the 16th and 17th of April 2018 all borders to and from Zimbabwe shall be disrupted by protests,” he said in the notice.

“The International Cross-Border Traders’ Association advises cross-border traders, truck drivers, bus drivers, taxi drivers, clearing agents, travellers and cross-border traders to heed our call.

“Our demands to the Government of Zimbabwe are as follows:(1) Buses and any other travellers using the border must be searched once at the border. No to re-search with intention of getting bribes from drivers by officials. (Not to be searched by Zimra, Border Control and CIDs, one after the other). This process causes corruption.

“(2) Zimra and Border Control at Mwenezi, 129km from Beitbridge Border Post should stop re-searching travellers