One-stop border at Lebombo moves forward

The pressing need for a one-stop border post on the N4 corridor cannot be underestimated. According to Arthur Coy, CEO of Trans Africa Concessions, plans to improve and upgrade Lebombo border post, the gateway between South Africa and Mozambique, are coming along slowly but surely. Contracts have been awarded for the fencing in of the entire border post area and for the redirecting of pedestrian traffic. While both contracts were small and only the first of 11 phases to be rolled out in the upgrading and transformation of the border post, Coy said they were proof of stakeholders’ commitment to improvement at Lebombo. “It is understood the new one-stop border post will be completed by mid 2010,” said Coy. “While managing people and traffic flows during the construction period will require planning and communication, we are optimistic that the change will be for the better.” Coy said over the past ten years traffic on the N4 to Maputo had doubled. An improved border post would stimulate trade as well as tourism as more people would be encouraged to use the road. Describing the current border post as “an unorganised circus”, Coy said the sophisticated and impressive plans for the onestop border post would see travellers not even having to exit their vehicles when at Lebombo.