Botswana announced yesterday that it is re-opening some of its borders to passenger traffic from December 1.
This comes a few weeks after Zimbabwe’s Cabinet approved
the gradual re-opening of its land borders on the same day to passenger traffic
starting with private motorists and pedestrians.
The borders include Beitbridge, Plumtree, Victoria Falls,
Chirundu, Nyamapanda and Forbes and preparations are already underway and at
various stages.
Public transport is expected to start using the borders in
the first quarter of next year. Zimbabwe shares Plumtree, Maitengwe, Mpoengs
and Mlambapele borders with Botswana.
The authorities at Plumtree border were processing three
million travellers annually before the Covid-19 induced lockdowns, making the
port of entry the second busiest after Beitbridge which handles seven million
people yearly.
In a media statement yesterday, Botswana’s Ministry of
Transport and Communications said the move was part of that country’s
re-opening of the economy.
“Cross-border public passenger transport operations were
suspended during the first national lockdown (March 2020) due to the Covid-19
outbreak, and this affected many businesses especially cross-border passenger
road transport operations.
“As part of government’s effort to open up the economy, a
decision to lift the suspension of cross border passenger road transport
operations has been taken, as a means to provide services to members of the
public and business community across the borders,” said the Ministry.
According to the media statement, routes including Tlokweng
Border Gaborone-Johannesburg, Gaborone-Zeerust, Gaborone-Rustenburg,
Ramatlabama Border, Gaborone-Mafikeng, Lobatse-Mafikeng, Martins drift Border,
and Palapye-Johanesburg mainly with South Africa and Namibia will open on
December 1.
The others routes to open are the Botswana- Ramakgwebana
border, Francistown-Bulawayo, Francistown-Harare and Francistown-Lusaka.
The Ministry said cross-border public transport operators
must adhere to strict Covid-19 management protocols.
“The following conditions shall apply; abide with Covid-19
protocols, clean the interior and exterior of the vehicles with water and soap
or sanitise two to three times a day or after every trip.
In addition, a passenger shall present a valid 72-hour
negative Covid-19 result to either bus operator, conductor or driver before
boarding the bus and a person shall not be allowed to use public transport
without wearing a mask,” read part of the statement.
Under the new set up, public transport operators shall keep
a register of all passengers on board which shall be open for inspection by the
Director of Health Services or a law enforcement officer
Selling inside a public service vehicle is prohibited and
touting is banned.
Further, Public service vehicles shall load as per the
authorised seating capacity stated in their passenger permits and there will be
no standing passengers. Chronicle
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