Hundreds of travellers are experiencing significant delays at the Lebombo Border Post as they attempt to cross into Mozambique for the festive holidays. The Border Management Authority reports processing 300,000 people so far, but frustrations persist due to inadequate staffing and infrastructure. Commissioner Michael Masiapato highlighted efforts to streamline operations with dedicated processing stations.
At the Lebombo Border Post, a key crossing point between South Africa and Mozambique, travellers are voicing strong frustrations over long queues and processing delays during the peak festive season. On December 23, 2025, hundreds of individuals, including Mozambican nationals working or running businesses in South Africa, gathered in and around the border facilities, eager to return home for holidays.
One traveller, France Magaya, described the challenges: “We can’t use the same roads and a small road for the trucks and people travelling together, you see. That is why we are getting too many breakdowns because the car is getting hot, we are burning the clutch because the car is not going anywhere, we staying in one place. If they close here, my car is going to be in danger. If you can as an officer have six people, how many people are you going to service?”
The Border Management Authority (BMA) has processed 300,000 people since the start of festive operations, including citizens heading home and holidaymakers. Commissioner Michael Masiapato, during a visit to the post, explained measures to alleviate congestion: “We have actually segregated the various travelers for the purposes of effective administration. We do have an area where we are processing pedestrians... The other area of operation is within port... The third area of operation colleagues is kilometer-seven.”
Additionally, over 50 individuals were arrested by South African National Defence Force members for attempting illegal crossings through nearby mountains, often to avoid detection of overstayed visas. Masiapato noted: “These are individuals who have tried to avoid coming into the port because they overstayed in South Africa... we had to make sure that we bring them to port, we had to fingerprint them and make sure that they are v-listed, and we had to get them out into the Mozambican side.”
These delays underscore ongoing challenges at busy border points during high-traffic periods, affecting both personal travel and regional mobility.
