Parliament, Wednesdy, 13 January 2021 – The Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs will tomorrow visit the Lebombo Border Post to assess interventions aimed at resolving the humanitarian and health risks at the port of entry.

The visit follows the assessment of the Beit Bridge Border Post, where the committee recommended the implementation of a one-stop border post and the Border Management Authority Act as twin pillars to resolve congestion challenges at busy land ports of entry.

“We are steadfast in our assertion that the implementation of the one-stop border post and the Border Management Authority hold the key to resolving the challenges at these borders. It remains unacceptable that people and trucks are held up for more than three days when crossing into and out of the country, especially now when the whole world is dealing with Covid-19,” said Advocate Bonagni Bongo, the Chairperson of the committee.

The visit aims to get a first-hand account of the challenges faced during the December season, the interventions implemented to alleviate the challenges, and plans for implementation when ports of entry reopen. “A critical point of focus will be planning in ensuring that what happened at the ports of entry is not repeated and, more especially, ensuring enough capacity, especially ports health at these busy ports,” Adv Bongo emphasised.

The committee will also assess implementation of the regulations, as announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday. “Safeguading our ports of entry is critical in ensuring South Africa’s territorial integrity and stopping the spead of Covid-19,” Adv Bongo emphasised.

The committee has also decided to visit the Mbuzini area, where it has heard reports of large numbers of illegal crossings into the country. The committee will seek to find solutions to this challenge. The committee has called for increased presence of the South African National Defence Force along the border to stop illegal crossings, especially now as land borders have been closed to the public.

Details of the visit
Venue: Lebombo Border Post
Time:09:00
Date: Thursday, 14 January 2021
The committee will move from Lebombo to Mbuzini.

ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON HOME AFFAIRS, ADV BONGANI BONGO.

For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the committee’s Media Officer:


Name: Malatswa Molepo (Mr)
Parliamentary Communication Services
Tel: 021 403 8438
Cell: 081 512 7920
E-mail: mmolepo@parliament.gov.za