Extra staff on border control as visitors flock to the coast

South Africans are flocking to the coastal cities of Cape Town and Durban as the country prepares to enjoy a long Easter break.

There is also good news for those travellers who are travelling across the borders as the Department of Home Affairs announced on Friday it was extending operating hours at selected ports of entry‚ effective immediately until March 30‚ to ease movement for motorists over the Easter holidays.

The Department was also deploying more personnel‚ and senior managers‚ to handle the increased traveller volumes.

According to Cheapflights‚ a travel search engine‚ there will be nearly two-thirds more people travelling over this period‚ compared with a normal weekend.

Cheapflights found that Cape Town is set to be the busiest destination over the Easter period. Durban comes in at a close second‚ while Johannesburg comes in third place.

According to Cheapflights data‚ domestic searches for flights to Cape Town over the Easter period were 72% higher than travel in the previous week.

"From the data‚ we've picked up that the majority of local travellers will be departing before the Easter weekend begins‚ proving that this is the busiest time for travel over this period‚ even though this is the most expensive time for flights‚” they stated.

Home Affairs Director-General Mkuseli Apleni said in a statement government was doing its bit to help holiday travellers.

"In preparation for a smooth facilitation of movement‚ ample attention was expended on the critical ports of entry‚ those that process very high numbers of travellers‚ such as Lebombo‚ Oshoek and Groblersbridge‚" he said.

He urged motorists to drive with caution‚ saying: “We trust that by providing more hours‚ to facilitate movement of persons and goods‚ we will minimise the burden of long queues and undue delays while making travel pleasant. However‚ success in this regard depends also on people travelling gradually over the entire period and‚ importantly‚ with drivers observing‚ religiously‚ all the rules of the road‚ ensuring all reach their destinations safely”.

Home Affairs has secured the buy-in of stakeholders and countries that share borders with the South Africa‚ Apleni said. Government had also liaised with religious leaders and pilgrims‚ particularly those heading for the City of Moria‚ in Limpopo.

Border Hours

In Mpumalanga‚ the Lebombo port of entry will operate on a 24-hour basis while the Mananga port of entry will be open from 7am to 8pm.

In the Eastern Cape‚ Qancha’s Nek will operate from 6am to 10pm‚ while KwaZulu-Natal’s Kosi Bay will operate from 7am to 6pm.

In the Free State‚ Van Rooyenshek will be open from 6am to midnight while in Limpopo Groblersbridge will operate from 6am to midnight.

The Swartkopfontein port of entry in the North West will operate from 7am to 8pm. - Department of Home Affairs

- TMG Digital/TMG Local Government Team