AUTHORITIES at Beitbridge Border Post have increased
surveillance and anti-smuggling activities during the ongoing lockdown and 21
trucks and 22 other vehicles smuggling an assortment of goods worth millions of
dollars have since been intercepted.
Zimbabwe remains the only viable transit route for
countries that include Zambia, Malawi, DRC, Tanzania and Angola.
According to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra),
traffic volumes per day, both import and export, increased from an average of
450 daily in 2019 to 1 000 between March and June this year.
Prior to the lockdown, Zimra was clearing around 500
commercial trucks daily. Zimra’s regional manager for Beitbridge, Mr Innocent
Chikuni recently said the smuggling of groceries and related items remains the
biggest challenge.
He was speaking during a tour of the border post by the
revenue authority’s senior managers and Finance and Economic Development
Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube.
“Working with other stakeholders we have been able to seize
goods from 56 offenders and impounded 22 motor vehicles between April and May
at undesignated entry points along the Limpopo River,” said Mr Chikuni.
“In addition, smuggling activities through the border post
are surging because of the increased traffic. Between March and May we recorded
81 seizures including 21 commercial trucks and trailers. We are now looking at
increased automation of most processes and concentration of staff to control
the high-risk cargo to minimise smuggling through the main port of entry.”
Mr Chikuni said he believed that if they deploy more human
and material resources to man or patrol undesignated entry points, they can
reduce criminal activities at undesignated crossing points along the Limpopo
river.
He said the border has become a Covid-19 hotspot in the
country considering current infection figures and risks associated with the
interface between various Government agencies and stakeholders operating within
and outside of the border.
Mr Chikuni said they were working with stakeholders, among
them health officials, to minimise the risk of new infections.
“To speed up traffic movement we have introduced mandatory
pre-arrival clearance of all cargo — enforcement; use of risk management in the
processing of the cargo — in place of 100 percent intervention. We also
recommend the use of the pre-clearance facilities — online communication and
clearances of groceries that come as consolidated (omalayitsha),” he said.
“Additionally, we opened up more release lanes through the
use of private vehicles/ bus lane for low risk commercial cargo including
Government maize and so far 123 280 733kgs have been imported in 3 500 trucks
since the beginning of the year. More importantly we are liaising and
co-ordinating with other stakeholders on both the South African and Zimbabwean
components of the border to address challenges as and when they arise”.
Chronicle
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