The Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa has urged parliament to summon the Department of Home Affairs and the Border Management Authority to explain delays at the Lebombo Border Gate. Thousands of Mozambican travelers face long queues as they head home for the holidays. Officials have introduced manual processing to ease the congestion.
At the Lebombo Border Gate in Komatipoort, Mpumalanga, an influx of travelers—mostly Mozambicans returning home for the festive season—has caused significant delays. The Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (Contralesa) has criticized the Department of Home Affairs and the Border Management Authority (BMA) for poor preparation, describing the situation as embarrassing.
Contralesa President Chief Mathupa Mokoena expressed frustration over the handling of the crisis. "Contralesa is annoyed by the manner in which the Department of Home Affairs and the Border Management Authority are handling the situation at the Lebombo Border Gate. Those many excuses and the many justifications they are busy giving are really irritating," he said. Mokoena noted that this is not the first such incident and highlighted that some travelers have been queuing for three days, potentially spending Christmas in line. He called on the Parliament Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs to summon the department and BMA to account for the lapses and present future plans.
In response, the BMA has shifted to a manual processing system to accelerate crossings for thousands still waiting. BMA Commissioner Dr Mike Masiapato explained that this applies only to Mozambican and South African nationals. "We are going to continue using the system as it were and we are then also going to implement the manual process... we are also going to among the people on the queue also identify people, for instance women and children that are actually on the queue, and all of those we will prioritise and make sure that they are pushed through," he stated. Mozambique's authorities are also in discussions with South African counterparts to resolve the issue.
The border post, a key crossing point between South Africa and Mozambique, sees heightened traffic during holidays, underscoring ongoing challenges in border management.
