Transit fraud on the rise at Beitbridge

An increase in smuggling and
transit fraud is raising alarm
bells at Beitbridge border post.
An official from the
Zimbabwe Revenue Authority
(Zimra) told FTW off the
record that there had been
an increase in the number of
incidents – although no official
comment was available.
Zimra did however release
a statement last week pointing
out that the revenue authority
had commissioned a US$2.1-
million Electronic Cargo
Tracking System (ECTS) in an
effort to curb transit fraud.
“Border posts are now
equipped with detectors,
mobile scanners, luggage
scanners and closed circuit
television (CCTV) cameras,” the
Zimra official added.
A transporter told FTW
that there were three different
checkpoints where all vehicles
were stopped and inspected
by Customs officials and
traffic police. “There’s one in
Musina, one just outside the
border post, and a third at the
weighbridge before crossing to
the Zimbabwean side.” He said
that if there was smuggling it
would be managed through a
syndicate that used boats to
ferry illegal people and goods
across the Limpopo river or
through openings near the
border gates.
He told FTW there had
been disputes between crossborder
vehicle operators (trucks
and taxis) who were allegedly
accepting fees for smuggling
small quantities of banned
import products in passengers’
luggage.
A clearing agent based at
the Beitbridge border agreed
that smuggling at the border
was rampant, but pointed out
that it was rather on foot than
by passengers in vehicles as
the vehicles were thoroughly
searched by border authorities.
“Military patrols on the
Zimbabwean side don’t closely
scrutinise those on foot,” she
said.
She added that she
had personally witnessed
“hundreds of people” carrying
goods on their shoulders and
backs as they entered the
illegal openings in the fence
near the border gate.
In her view, the border
authorities “barely have a clue”
of what is happening around
them.
Referring to recent media
reports of Beitbridge border
closure, claiming that
“hooligans” from South Africa
had blocked traffic going into
Zimbabwe forcing closure
of the post for over eight
hours, several clearing agents
contacted by FTW denied this.
Alwyn Nel, managing
director of Kingfisher Freight
Services, said there had been
no “significant impediment
to the flow of traffic or
operations”.
CAPTION
Trucks and taxis crossing into Zimbabwe from South Africa
are closely scrutinised.