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.