Lebombo border post to pilot new, faster system after clashes erupt over congestion chaos | Business

Truckers have complained of queueing for days.

The Lebombo border post is operational and steps have been taken to reduce congestion, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) and Border Management Authority (BMA) said in a joint statement on Monday.

Chaos erupted at the post last week amid clashes between truckers and minibus taxi drivers at the gridlocked border post, Bloomberg reported, with videos circulating on social media showing vehicles being torched as trucks blockaded the N4. The clashes turned deadly over the weekend, with the SAPS investigating a shooting believed to be linked to the protests, PowerFM reported.

Thousands of trucks pass through the border – South Africa’s main border with Mozambique – each week, with an increase in cargo volumes as state-owned logistics company Transnet battles to meet demands for rail transport. Drivers have complained of being stranded at the post for days.