Government planning six, one-stop border posts The aim is to enhance efficiency, especially at the heavily congested Beitbridge border post

Source: Business Day, 11/05/2020

“The aim of one-stop border posts is to increase the efficiency of
trade and the efficiency of movement,” home affairs minister Aaron
Motsoaledi said in an interview on Tuesday.
“This model means that people and trucks will be processed by both
countries under one roof. When we move over to this model, people
and trucks will only stop once at a border and be processed by
both countries [at that one point],” Motsoaledi said.
Investment in infrastructure will be required to develop these
border posts and five consortiums have already been shortlisted by
the department of home affairs to undertake the work. They are
SPG-CHEC JV, CSCEC Imbani Consortium, Border Post Consortium,
Hlanganani Consortium and Fastport Consortium, which are made up
of major construction and engineering firms.
“We need the private sector. We don’t have the money as the
state,” the minister said. The winning consortium will earn money
from levies imposed on passing freight traffic, but Motsoaledi
believes business will accept this if it means heightened
efficiency at the border posts.
“The master plan for the development of Beitbridge has been
finalised and we are in the process of appointing a service
provider. The service provider will come from one of the five
consortiums that were approved in 2018. These consortiums are made
up of construction companies and related professional services
such as engineering firms. After that, the department will
finalise the contracting arrangements before construction starts.
This development will be funded on the basis of a 20-year
concessionaire.”
The minister said that at Beitbridge, for instance, there will be
separate lines for trucks, taxis, private vehicles and
pedestrians, which will require construction work. It is also
possible that a wider bridge will have to be constructed. Some of
the buildings at the other border posts need to be revamped.
“The ports [of entry] will be developed in partnership with the
private sector through public-private partnerships, and with our
neighbouring countries,” Motsoaledi said.
The development of one-stop border posts will take place alongside
the establishment of the Border Management Authority under the
department of home affairs. This authority will oversee and co-
ordinate the work of numerous government departments at the border
posts, with the exception of Sars that will continue to collect
customs duties independently.
The Border Management Authority Bill is being processed by
parliament.
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