From 12th to 14th of February 2025, a delegation from the Southern African Development Community (SADC), led by Mr. Alcides Monteiro, the Senior Programme Officer for Customs at the SADC Secretariat, conducted an assessment study of the Beitbridge Border Post. This border post is situated in Beitbridge, a town located in the province of Matabeleland South in Zimbabwe. The Beitbridge name also refers to the border post and the bridge crossing the Limpopo River, which acts as the political boundary between South Africa and Zimbabwe.
The study aimed to appraise various aspects of the border's operational efficiency, including the operating hours of adjacent border posts, the implementation of the Coordinated Border Management (CBM) and One Stop Border Post (OSBP) concepts, and transit procedure processes. Furthermore, the objectives were to assess the time required for goods clearance and the state of ICT connectivity at the border. This initiative was intended to enhance border operations in support of regional economic integration and to improve the trade corridor and movement of goods between the two countries. This effort aligns with commitments made during the 13th Ministerial Task Force (MTF) meeting on Regional Economic Integration held in July 2013 in Maputo, Mozambique, where SADC ministers committed to improving border efficiencies and trade facilitation at key border posts.
The trade facilitation measures, including the CBM and OSBP concepts, are integral to the SADC Regional Integration agenda, supporting the SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap 2015-2063, and consolidating Free Trade Areas.
Mr. Monteiro highlighted the significance of the Beitbridge Border Post within the North-South Corridor, following its selection by the 13th SADC Ministerial Task Force on Regional Economic Integration for the implementation of trade facilitation corridors. He underscored that the Beitbridge Border Post was chosen as a key part of the North-South Corridor, which connects shipping ports to industrial productivity hubs across the region. The North-South Trade Corridor extends from the port of Durban in South Africa to Kasumbalesa in Democratic Republic of Congo, passing through both the Beitbridge and Chirundu One Stop Border Posts in Zimbabwe.
The study visit to the Beitbridge Border Post involved consultative engagements with border management and other key stakeholders. During these discussions, Mr. Batsirai Chadzingwa, Commissioner for Customs and Excise for the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA), emphasised the Zimbabwean government's efforts to improve operational efficiency at the border, including streamlining processes for trade facilitation.
Mr. Chadzingwa also pointed out that the Beitbridge Border Post is a crucial junction along the North-South Trade Corridor, serving not only South Africa and Zimbabwe but also facilitating trade with the Democratic Republic of Congo, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia including other SADC Member States. He showcased the state-of-the-art border infrastructure, which includes dedicated terminals for traffic demarcation. Recently upgraded, the Beitbridge Border Post features modern infrastructure, including multiple warehouses, cold storage facilities, offices for border agencies, ICT facilities, parking bays, a passenger terminal, port health facilities, and other essential amenities. To maximise the use of the North-South Trade Corridor, the border post operates 24 hours a day.
Since its reopening in January 2021, the number of trucks cleared inbound and outbound has increased due to more efficient procedures and improved infrastructure. Currently, the average clearance time for heavy-duty vehicles is three to six hours, and one hour for light vehicles. There is potential to further reduce waiting times as the border continuously seeks ways to streamline processes. The Beitbridge Border Post has the capacity to clear up to 1,000 trucks per day and is considered a model for regional studies and a source of inspiration for other initiatives and developments.
