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Home Affairs confirms several ports of entry will reopen on Monday

February 13, 2021

The Department of Home Affairs has confirmed that several ports of entry into Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Namibia, Mozambique and Zimbabwe will re-open on Monday.

The ministry says the move follows a Cabinet decision to reopen the 20 land borders to ordinary travel. These include Beitbridge, Maseru Bridge and Lebombo borders.

#DHA Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi leads the deployment of senior managers of #DHA to key land border posts following Cabinet approval of the reopening of the land borders on 15 February 2021 pic.twitter.com/9KmAf1rp81

— HomeAffairsSA (@HomeAffairsSA) February 13, 2021

Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi is scheduled to be at Lebombo Border Post on Monday, while Deputy Minister Njabulo Nzuza will visit Beitbridge and Director-General Tommy Makhode will check the situation at Maseru Bridge and Ficksburg.

The borders were closed on January 11 as part of the country’s efforts to control the spread of COVID-19 following the moving of the country from lockdown level 1 to adjusted level 3 lockdown amid a surge in COVID-19 cases in late December.

South Africa’s 20 ports of entry closed until 15 February:

Now, the restrictions have been relaxed following a decline in transmissions. This has seen the extension of the country’s curfew from 11PM until 4AM; the ban on the sale of alcohol and the reopening of beaches, parks and unbanning of religious gatherings, among others. A move that has been largely welcomed.

President @CyrilRamaphosa: Restrictions on the sale of alcohol will be eased. The sale of alcohol by licensed premises for off-site consumption will be permitted from Mondays to Thursdays, from 10am to 6pm. pic.twitter.com/Ln2xBTctlD

— Presidency | South Africa (@PresidencyZA) February 1, 2021