Transporters crossing the border at Lebombo/Ressano Garcia during the Easter holiday period should take note of the following information released by the MCLI, which will make your travels easier.
Please note that this period carries the highest volume of holiday, business and tourist travel and due to the volumes, limitations of infrastructure and human resources, queues and congestion are expected over the peak days, so travellers are requested to be patient and to prepare for this eventuality. The expected Peak Periods are as follows: Estimated Peak Periods Dates:  Travellers:          Flow of Traffic: 27 to 29 Mar 2013            Miners, travellers and commercial cargo              RSA to MOZ 31 Mar to 02 Apr 2013   Miners, travellers and commercial cargo              MOZ to RSA The massive traffic flow over the peak periods is expected to affect the followings ports of entry (POE): •            Lebombo POE •            Oshoek POE •            Mahamba POE •            Mananga POE •            Jeppes Reef POE Border Post Operating Hours Port of Entry (POE)         Extended Operating Hours         Period Lebombo POE  24 hours (Passengers) 06:00 – 22:00 (Commercial)         25 Mar 2013 -14 Apr 2013 Oshoek POE      06:00 to 24:00   Normal Mahamba POE 07:00 to 22:00   Normal Mananga POE   07:00 to 18:00   Normal Jeppes Reef POE             07:00 to 20:00   Normal Note: We were unable to confirm whether the operational times of the Swaziland Border Posts with South Africa and Mozambique are also going to be extended for the Easter period and therefore we published their normal operating times. Please take note that normal border post operating times are in effect except for the extended hours as per the periods stipulated above. We would like to advise all our readers who will be travelling between South Africa and Mozambique to plan their trips carefully to avoid the long queues. Please take note that to avoid the huge congestion and delays that occurred over the December period, there will be control points set up along the N4 from Marloth Park to the border post. The purpose of these control points will be to divert the traffic to ease the congestion on the N4 in the lead up to the border post, these control points will be as follows: N4 Traffic Control Plan from Marloth Park to the border post •            Traffic Control Point 1 – Marloth Park (approximately 20.5 km from the main POE) o            A regulatory road block will be formed at this control point o            All movements of vehicles on the N4 will be controlled from this point in conjunction with operations at the processing centres. •            Traffic Control Point 2 & 2A – Coopersdal turn-off o            All of taxis, buses and trucks will be diverted into Coopersdal Road from this point. o            At point 2A (Strydom/Tonga intersection) traffic will be controlled as per mode of transport and destination (all taxis, buses and trucks diverted onto this route destined for Lebombo will be directed to Strydom Block Road. Other modes of transport destined elsewhere will be allowed to proceed to Tonga) •            Traffic Control Point 3 – Tenbosch turn-off o            All vehicles that are destined for Komatipoort will be diverted on Tenbosch Road. o            No taxis or buses will be allowed to use this route as an alternative to reach Lebombo. •            Traffic Control Point 4 – Strydom Block Turnoff o            All diverted traffic from Coopersdal Road will enter the N4 to KM7 through this turnoff. o            In case of any congestion, emergency vehicles and inbound traffic will be diverted into Strydom Block from the N4. o            No outbound taxis or buses will be allowed to divert onto this road. •            Traffic Control Point 5 – Entrance from the N4 into KM7 Facility (Sector B1) o            Only trucks, buses and taxis to be diverted into KM7 from the N4. o            Taxis should be kept on the left lane and the right lane for buses and trucks. •            Traffic Control Point 6 – Vehicle entrance to taxi route (Sector B2) o            All taxis to be diverted onto this route. o            No other type of vehicles is to be diverted onto this route. •            Traffic Control Point 7 – Sasol/Komatipoort Intersection (Sector C) o            No taxis and buses from the convoy should be allowed to divert into Komatipoort / Sasol intersection. o            All traffic entering the N4 from these intersections should be controlled. •            Traffic Control Point 8 – Mananga Turnoff (Sector D) o            All traffic turning onto the N4 should be regulated. •            Traffic Control Point 9 – Low Water Bridge o            Only private vehicles to and from the N4 will be allowed to turn in and out of this turnoff. o            No taxis will be allowed to enter or exit this turnoff from / onto the N4. •            Traffic Control Point 10 – BP Garage Turnoff (Sector E) o            No taxis or busesin the convoy will be allowed to divert into BP. o            Movement from this sector into N4 to be controlled. o            A regulatory road block to be formed at this point to control the traffic between the port and BP. o            Traffic should not be allowed to congest from this control point to the port. o            Monitoring and patrolling of the truck lane to keep it clear will also be done from this point. •            Traffic Control Point 11 – Control Gate at the koppie (Sector G1) o            A regulatory road block to be formed at this point to control the traffic between the 3 way stop and the koppie. o            Vehicles entering the port should be regulated from this point. o            The space between the koppie and the 3 way stop should be kept clear. o            Monitoring and patrolling of the truck lane to keep it clear will also be done from this point. o            Issuing of gate passes will also be done here. •            Traffic Control Point 12 – 3 way stop / main POE (Sector G2) o            Direction of vehicles to different sectors inside the port will be conducted from this point. o            Issuing of gate passes will also be done here. o            Blocking of inbound traffic will be done from this point when the need arises. Clearance of Travellers People travelling in trucks, buses and taxis will be cleared at the Komatipoort Commercial Clearing Facility (7 km before the main Port of Entry). It is signposted as the Lebombo Border Dry Port. Private travellers will be cleared at the main POE. Please note that the new Pedestrian Clearing Facility is now open at the main POE and this facility will now clear all the pedestrians that enter the main POE. Other ports of entry will clear people at their main and outside the buildings where applicable. Fiscal allowances and exemption to travellers * Duty-Free Allowances: •            Sporting and Recreational Equipment (International Visitors) •            Up to 2 litres of wine (not for minors) •            Up to 1 litre of spirits (not for minors) •            Up to 200 cigarettes, 20 cigars & 250 g tobacco (not for minors) •            Up to 50 ml perfumery & 250 ml eau de toilette •            ** Up to R5 000.00 worth of new or used goods * Goods in excess of these quantities should be declared ** R25 000.00 if arriving from Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia or Swaziland. Prohibited Goods: •            Habit forming drugs •            Military weapons •            Explosives &fireworks •            Poisons •            Cigarettes weighing more than 2 kg per 1 000 •            Counterfeit goods Restricted goods: •            Firearms •            South Africabanknotes of more than R25 000.00 •            Gold coins, stamps & unprocessed gold •            Animals & their products •            Plants & their Products •            Certain types of medicines •            Goods not for personal use Port of entry requirements (RSA side) •            No individual is allowed to import or export firearm(s) without a permit •            All South African registered vehicles to be taken to Mozambique or Swaziland should have the following documentation: o            Vehicle registration documents, o            Where the vehicle is financed by the bank, SAPS and SARS Customs will require a letter from the financial institution/bank authorising the driver to take the vehicle out of the country, o            Where the vehicle is owned by a company, SAPS and SARS Customs will require a letter on the company letterhead authorising the driver to take the vehicle out of the country. This should include the vehicle insurance•            Emergency passports are issued at Home Affairs offices in various towns/cities. No person including children will be allowed through the port of entry without a valid passport (at least one page of the passport should be unused) – Department of Home Affairs (DHA).
•            Foreigners entering South Africa should have a passport valid for 30 days after the expiry of the period of the visit – DHA. •            Travellers arriving in South Africa will need to complete a Traveller Card if they have something to declare (this will replace the DA331 form.) Drivers of vehicles from non-South African Customs Union (SACU) countries should also complete the Traveller Card. •            Only original Traveller Cards will be accepted and these will be made available at the arrival and departure points at the border post. •            Travellers should ensure that they declare all goods in their possession with all necessary documentation such as invoices or proof of purchase. All imported second-hand clothing entering the country needs to be accompanied by a permit from DTI (Department of Trade & Industry) – SARS Customs. •            All valuable items such as motorbikes, cameras and laptops are to be declared at Customs – SARS Customs. These items should also be securely stored. •            If you are bringing valuable goods into the country on a temporary basis (temporary imports), you should also declare those goods on a Travellers Card. A Temporary Importation Permit (called a TIP) will be issued and you may have to pay a provisional deposit, which you will get back if you leave the country with your goods within 6 months. •            If you are leaving the country temporarily with valuable goods, you may also apply for a Temporary Export Permit on a Traveller Card. •            No agricultural and animal products including live animals even for personal consumption are allowed to enter the country (RSA) without a permit. Such goods will be detained if permits are not available – Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF). •            All corpses (bodies of deceased persons) need a permit to enter or exit the country – Mpumalanga Department of Health & Social Services – (MDOH& SS) Note: It is advisable, in special circumstances, to notify the relevant departments at the border post of your arrival time and date in advance so that your crossing will be much easier. •            Travellers going abroad or coming into the country are only allowed to bring medicine which will last for 30 days if they are in possession of the doctor’s prescription – MDOH& SS. •            People travelling to and from yellow fever countries (e.g. Angola, Congo, Nigeria, etc) must be in possession of a yellow fever certificate – MDOH& SS (INNOCULATION) •            All RSA permit holders (work or study) are no longer allowed to claim a VAT refund when they export goods. They can only claim on expiry of their permit within 90 days period before their final departure from RSA – VAT Refund Administrators (VRA) Port of Entry Requirement (Mozambique side) •            Revenue or fees to be paid at Ressano-Garcia POE (Mozambique side) when entering. •            Customs fees: o            Goods entering Mozambique are liable for duties / taxes depending on the quantity and quality thereof •            Third Party Insurance (Can be purchased at the Ressano Garcia Border Post): o            Motorbike R80.00, o            Vehicle R150.00, o            Vehicle pulling a trailer or caravan R230.00, o            Trucks or any vehicle carrying commercial goods R200.00 and o            Trucks or any vehicle pulling a trailer carrying commercial goods R300. •            Currency: o            Rands and Meticals are accepted for payment of the above services. Port of Entry Requirement (Swaziland side) •            Customs charges a road tax on all non-Swaziland registered vehicles entering Swaziland as follows: o            Vehicles (non-commercial) R50, o            Trucks and other commercial vehicles R80 •            Currency: o            Rands or Emalangeni are accepted for payment at Swaziland Ports of Entry It should further be noted that Mpumalanga Ports of Entry including those of neighbouring countries do not have credit card facilities (card swiping machines). MCLI requests that all stakeholders take note of the following: •            A valid Driver’s license is required (All SADC issued and International Driver’s licenses are accepted) •            Third Party Insurance for Mozambique is required. •            Your original vehicle registration papers if you own the vehicle or if the vehicle is still financed by the bank, you will require a letter from your bank granting you permission to take the vehicle across the border. •            A blue and yellow triangle sticker in the front of the vehicle if you are towing any type of trailer. •            Travellers to Mozambique are required by law to carry a ZA sticker, reflective vest and two red emergency triangles. •            Keep your passport on you at all times •            No animals or pets whatsoever are permitted to be carried across the border. •            Transport and Passenger operators from South Africa who are moving across the border are required to have permits issued by the Cross-Border Road Transport Agency (CBRTA). Call the CBRTA on +27-(0)-348-1357 and for any complaints or tip-offs relating to corruption, call 0800-000-594. PLEASE WORK WITH MCLI AND ITS STAKEHOLDERS TO STAMP OUT CORRUPTION AT OUR BORDER POST! CORRUPTION COSTS YOU MONEY AND TIME AND SEVERELY COMPROMISES THE POOR AND THE ABILITY OF TRADE AND INVESTMENT BENEFITS TO BE PASSED ON TO OUR REGION! •            There are many individuals working on both sides of the border who are passing themselves off as government officials and who offer to complete documentation on behalf of travellers for a fee. These individuals are fraudsters and should be avoided categorically. Please also note that no fees are payable on either side of the border for the completion of documents. If you are unsure please ask for official identification and an official government receipt. •            Please also do not use the runners at the border post who offer to speed your thoroughfare and jump the immigration queues for a fee. This makes you party to fraud and corruption and undermines the efforts of MCLI and the relevant government departments to stamp out corruption and provide an effective service. •            Important for drivers at all times to carry their driver’s licence, proof of insurance and vehicle documents for bringing their vehicles back into South Africa. •            It is advisable (not a requirement) to obtain an international driver’s licence for travel across the border, whether to Mozambique or to South Africa. These are available from the AA and most travel agents. •            Third party insurance for South African vehicles crossing the border is compulsory and can be obtained from various outlets at the border and at Komatipoort, agents at the Lebombo Border Dry Port, as well as the BP garage on the N4 1km before the Lebombo Border Post. These service providers will also assist with necessary documentation for your trip across the border. In the event of an accident involving a third party the first line of call is the insurance company. •            Night-time travellers should be aware of pedestrians and stray animals on the road. •            Officials at both Ports of Entry, i.e. Lebombo and Ressano Garcia, have requested that travellers do not use their parking spot at the border post as a point to take a refreshment break, as this contributes to the congestion of the facility. It is recommended that you stop for refreshment breaks before or after the Port of Entry. •            Alternatively, tourists may want to travel to Mozambique via Swaziland through the Jeppes Reef Border post (From the N4 just after Malelane) or the Mananga Border post (from the N4 just after Komatipoort), crossing into Mozambique through the Lomahasha Border Post. PLEASE ALSO NOTE THE FOLLOWING IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Should travellers encounter difficulties with traffic police or other authorities en route to their destinations, particularly if these officers are attempting to illicit bribes or are threatening, you are advised to do the following: •            Be as cooperative as possible •            Insist on a written or officially printed fine •            Don’t pay the fine to the police officer, but take it to the nearest police station for payment and get an official receipt; stamped if possible. •            If the police/traffic officers request a bribe, ensure that you take the name of the officer, his badge number, if there is a vehicle there take down the registration number and ensure that the location and time of the road block / traffic stop is noted. Without this information there can be no recourse. •            Do not pay the bribe! •            If in Mozambique, report this to the South AfricaHigh Commission or pass it on to MCLI to take up. If police insist on escorting you to the nearest police station (the escort may often not be the closest police station), or if you are unsure of the legitimacy of the charge, call the SOUTH AFRICA High Commission in Maputo for advice or assistance on +258 21 49 0059/3030 or their after-hours duty officer on +258 84 304 4600. •            If in South Africa, the same principles apply and incidents should be reported to the Mpumalanga Traffic Department on their hotline 0800 202 775 •            TRAC Help Desk (N4 and EN4 Only) – If you are involved in an accident, have a flat tyre, overheated engine or smashed windscreen, dial for assistance from the TRAC rescue team nearest to you. •            The IOM’s Southern African Counter-Trafficking Assistance Programme (SACTAP): o            Mozambique Regional Office: +258-21-310-779 o            South Africa Regional Office: +27-(0)12-342-2789 o            Swaziland Regional Office: +263-4-335-044/048 Blow the whistle on border corruption The BCOCC is committed to the preventing, detecting, investigating and successfully prosecuting of all cases of corruption. All services offered by government officials at our Ports of Entry are free of charge. Where payment is required please ensure that you receive an official receipt for any monies you have paid to staff. Please take note of the following Important Contact Information: South Africa Anti-Corruption and Emergency Numbers Institution:         Contact Number: CBRTA Vuvuzela Hotline                             0800 000 594 Human Trafficking          0800 737 283 Mpumalanga Traffic Department             0800 202 775 National Intelligence Agency (NIA)         012 427 4903 Presidential Hotline       17737 Department of Home Affairs     0800-701-701 Department of Health  0800-701-701 Department of Agriculture Forestry & Fisheries 0800-701-701 South Africa Revenue Services (CUSTOMS)        0800 002 870 South African High Commission in Maputo          +258 21 49 0059/3030 or +258 84 304 4600 South African Police Services     (SAPS) 0860 010 111 TRAC Help Desk (N4 Only)           0800 872 264 or (+27) 82 881 4444 Mozambique Anti-Corruption and Emergency Numbers Institution:         Contact Number: Mozambique Customs Green Line          800 000 800 Mozambique Police Green Line 84 800 22 22 or 800 22 22 22 Mozambique Tourism Bureau Complaints           (+258) 21 313 772 or (+258) 21 308 584 TRAC Help Desk (EN4 Only)        (+258) 84 343 4346 or (+258) 82 303 4303 Vodacom Emergency Number  84 800 22 22 Important travel information for download: •            Mozambique: Road Code Decree (Provided by ACIS) •            Mozambique: Legal Opinion when involved in a Traffic Accident in Mozambique (Provided by ACIS) •            Mozambique: Customs Anti-Corruption Green Line •            Mozambique: Customs Fiscal Allowances and Exemption to Travellers •            Mozambique: Tourism Bureau – Bribery and Corruption Incident Report •            Mozambique: Mozambique Travel Guide (sponsored by Vodacom Mozambique) •            South Africa: Mpumalanga DSSL Anti-Corruption Pamphlet •            South Africa: Mpumalanga DSSL Human Trafficking Pamphlet •            South Africa: BCOCC Blow the Whistle on Border Corruption •            South Africa: Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries Travellers Guide •            South Africa: Tax Refund for Tourists Guide •            South Africa: Customs Travellers Guide •            South Africa: Customs Information for Travellers
