Backlogging build-up at border crossings across east and southern Africa continued today as customs personnel across the continent continued to test long-distance drivers for the coronavirus, with truck queues getting longer as more rigs joined the line.
South of Beitbridge, on the SA-Zimbabwe border, trucks were parked inside the yellow line all the way to Pont Drift Road coming in from Botswana just north of Musina.
According Mike Fitzmaurice, chief executive of the Federation of East and Southern African Road Transport Associations (Fesarta), it makes for a queue of well over 20 kilometres.
He said the reason for the delay in processing truck traffic going north was the testing of drivers for the virus from a container at the bridge across the Limpopo.
Based on a track-and-trace system, Fitzmaurice said it took 15-20 minutes per truck before they were allowed to pass through.
With a queue of that length the drivers will have to spend the night waiting for their turn at the test container.
As stated earlier in conversations with Freight News, Fitzmaurice reiterated how queue build-ups such as the one south of Beitbridge were breeding ground for the spread of the virus.
“Where is the social distancing? These drivers will have to cook their food on the side of the road and they will mingle with others.”
He added that it was ridiculous that part of the delay at the testing container was caused by drivers having to fill in forms.
“You would imagine that this could be done online prior to the time. Why can’t it be automated?”
Similar video footage showing the queue going towards Beitbridge was shared between Fesarta members about the situation at Malaba border between Kenya and Uganda.
Taken from a chopper, the footage shows trucks on the A109/A104 road between Lake Victoria and Mount Elgon National Park packed head-to-heel, sometimes three rigs side by side, without any further room to get past.
Fitzmaurice said apparently the situation at Resumu border between Tanzania and Rwanda was also getting out of hand.
He said it was unfortunate that this was happening in East Africa as border crossings in this region, such as the Malaba One-Stop Border Post, used fly the flag for transit efficiencies across the continent.
“All of that is now gone, all because of testing for the virus.”
Commenting on the impact of the backlogs on Africa’s aspirations to launch a free-trade area, Fitzmaurice said “it will never happen”.
Adding to the congestion, he added, was corruption.
“They go hand in hand. A free-trade area will take away the right and opportunity (of corrupt officials) to fill their pockets. The moment you have efficiencies there’s no chance of corruption.”
FOOTAGE: To view the videos on which this report is based, click on these links:
- Truck queue south of Beitbridge (SA-Zimbabwe), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PSPgwGrbd8&feature=youtu.be
- Transport congestion towards Malaba (Kenya-Uganda), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IojsDub-OhQ
