Clarity around border regulations

Source: tourism update, 01/12/2015

Regulations for vehicles crossing SA`s borders are being actively
enforced at the Swaziland border.


Regulations that are being implemented at SA`s borders are not new but
are now being actively enforced.


Tourism Update reported on Monday that new regulations had been
implemented at all South African borders. It has since emerged that
the regulations are old but are now being actively enforced,
especially at the Swaziland border.


The regulations include that drivers of South African-registered cars
crossing SA borders must carry and present a certified copy of vehicle
registration/vehicle licence papers at the border posts. This must be
accompanied by a letter from the bank giving authorisation to take the
vehicle across the border and must indicate dates of travel.


Both the bank letter and licence papers should be signed by a
Commissioner of Oaths.


If the driver of the vehicle is not the owner of the vehicle, an
affidavit from the police giving authorisation from the financial
institution/owner to take the vehicle abroad is required. If the car
is rented, the driver must have a letter from the rental company
giving permission to take the vehicle out of the country.


An SAPS policewoman from the Oshoek-Ngwenya (Swaziland) border gate
told Darron Raw, MD at Swazi Trails, that the regulations were
long-standing but were only applied when a driver appeared suspicious
or during specific crime prevention operations. She added that
cross-border travellers were required to have their vehicle
documentation available for inspection on request.


Another SAPS officer, in charge at the Mahamba border told Raw that
the regulations requiring drivers to prove ownership or have
permission to drive a particular car, had been in place for a long
time at the Swaziland borders but were seldom implemented except in
highly suspicious cases. The officer added that the regulations were
now being more actively enforced to prevent cross-border car
theft.


The Giriyonda (Mozambique) border post said all drivers crossing the
border either from SA or into SA were required to present a certified
copy of the vehicle registration and if the driver did not own the
car, a certified copy of the bank`s ownership was required.


However, this regulation is not being as actively enforced at all
borders. Lin Botha from Sediba Forwarding said her drivers had not
been asked to present these documents when crossing the Beitbridge
(Zimbabwe) border post.


Natalie Tenzer-Silva, Director of Dana Tours confirmed that it was not
a new regulation. She said a woman at the Mozambique border driving an
SA-registered vehicle did have a copy of her vehicle registrations and
a letter from the bank but that the border officials seem very relaxed
about the regulations.