Swazi operators continue to lobby for 24-hour border opening

Will Swaziland’s borders with
South Africa ever achieve the
24/7 operations once promised
for 2010 – a promise likely to be
deferred again?
While transport officials in both
countries suggested to road cargo
hauliers that the key border post
at Oshoek would continue with its
expanded holiday operating hours
come the New Year, shorter hours
returned nonetheless.
For road transport firms like Chrisilda
Transport in Matsapha, this means
ongoing efforts to convince government
authorities of the need for landlocked
Swaziland to enjoy unfettered road
access to South Africa the way the
roads are always opened to and
from Mozambique.
“When you are in a dark room, you
shoot in all directions,” said Chrisilda
managing director Sikelela Vilakati,
referring to road transport firms’
multi-prolonged approach to lobby for
expanded border post hours.
“Concerns have been raised through
Swaziland Truckers’ Association, a
government-accredited local trucking
group that speaks with the home affairs
ministry responsible for borders. We
also pressure the transport ministry
and individual MPs. The MPs can put
forward motions in parliament on border
hours,” Vilakati said
“With Mhlumeni (the Swazi border
post at Mozambique’s Maputo province),
you can see how well it works with the
24-hour opening. It would be great if
they could extend all hours on the South
African side,” he said.
Swazi transport operators believed
that once Mozambique signed on to
24/7 border operations with Swaziland,
South Africa would quickly follow suit,
allowing for road transportation from
Gauteng to Maputo via Swaziland on a
round-the-clock basis.
“South Africa is taking its time. We
acknowledge it’s a costly and involved
exercise – security and personnel to
operate the border post. But we will still
push. We need to look into a regional
lobbying group,” said Vilakati, whose
firm moves Swazi timber to Gauteng
along with a medley of other cargo.