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Chairs seen submerged in water at Grobler’s Bridge Border Post in Limpopo.
The Border Management Authority (BMA) says it is not yet clear when operations will resume at the flooded Grobler’s Bridge Border Post outside Lephalale in Limpopo. The BMA temporarily suspended operations three days ago, due to high water levels.
Trucks are queuing outside the port of entry that connects the country with Botswana. This is usually a driveway for trucks entering into South Africa.
For three days now, this road and others around it have been flooded by the over-flowing crocodile-infested Limpopo River. The rising water levels have led to the BMA suspending operations at the border post. The agency says it is not yet clear when operations will resume.
“Regarding the actual damage to the port infrastructure, we have the specific extent of the damage. It will be involved once water is out of the port. Assessment will be by different engineers. The substation is under water and Eskom cannot just come and restore the electricity. We are hoping that we will be able to do it quickly, it won’t be a day after or a two day after,” says BMA Assistant Commissioner Rudzani Mpilo.
Some truck drivers continue parking outside the temporarily closed border post. Some fear their travel documents will expire while they wait for the port of entry to resume operations.
“We only have three days for the expiring of the passport, the time we arrived here, we are informed that the border will be closed due to the flood but there are no passport officers here,” says driver lex Muleya.
“I’m hopeful not today or tomorrow I will cross, the job is standing, the money is standing. I’m from Pretoria, I’m going to Bulawayo. We can’t cross then we will go to Beit Bridge. We are used to this, it is not a problem, it’s a big loss for the company,” says another driver, Olley Crawford.
Traders who operate outside the port of entry say their businesses have been negatively affected.
“It is very bad because now there is no one who is buying our food. We are stuck with our food here. There is no movement at the border. Everything is stuck, we don’t have money, we don’t have any income except the food we are selling. It is affecting us, so it is affecting us very badly,” says hawker Mosima Mashalane.
“We are paying double the costs because we are forced to refer clients to other borders,” says cargo service’s Albert Rampabana.
A businessperson, who was travelling to stock up on mopani worms in Botswana, also had to find an alternative route to the neighboring country.
“I’m here to look for mopani worms but there is nothing because the border is closed due to overflow of water,” says businessman Shane Mashau.
The border post processes about 600 trucks per day.
Video: Truck drivers left stranded as Grobler Bridge Post remains closed
