“A voice note in one of the social media sent warnings to all emaSwati who will intend to return home this festive season.’’
M– The journey back home for thousands of emaSwati working in neighbouring South Africa may not be smooth sailing if they use informal crossing points this festive season.
The journey home has been complicated by the unprecedented surge in COVID-19 and the stance by border patrols to demand testing certificates.
The SA Government said recently that immigration law-enforcement officers would be deployed to support the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) at identified high-risk areas along the border where people who tend to cross illegally into SA.
A family crossing the border from SA at Nkomanzi. (R) One of the informal crossing points between Eswatini and South Africa is at Mbuzini.(Courtesy
Over the past weeks, emaSwati travelling to SA have also witnessed an increase in roadblocks mounted closer to the official border gates to check the validity of passports.
The tightening of measures has sent chills down the spine of emaSwati who have made it a habit to cross informally to and from SA every Easter and Christmas Holidays.
A voice note in one of the social media sent warnings to all emaSwati who would intend to return home this festive season.
“It’s too bad at the informal crossing points because from December 20, you must have a valid testing certificate to show that you are negative. So from that date onwards, there will be soldiers deployed along the borders. Tell others that it would be better to come home before the 20th to avoid landing in trouble.”
The voice note further alerts emaSwati that the roadblocks are intensifying and had already nabbed a Quantum full of emaSwati near the Oshoek Border Gate.