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Thousands Stranded at Beitbridge Border Post<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
By Business Reporter-Thousands of\u00a0travellers\u00a0have been left stranded at the busy\u00a0Beitbridge Border Post\u00a0after authorities intensified a crackdown on smuggled and undeclared goods, resulting in the impounding of several buses.<\/p>\n
Scores of buses\u00a0were still held up\u00a0yesterday as officials from the\u00a0Zimbabwe Revenue Authority\u00a0(ZIMRA) carried out extensive inspections, significantly disrupting cross-border travel and business operations.<\/p>\n
Authorities are conducting thorough searches to ensure that goods suspected to be commercial cargo\u2014such as furniture items\u00a0including\u00a0chairs and desks\u2014are properly declared and transported through appropriate channels.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese chairs and tables belong to one person.\u00a0They are commercial goods and should\u00a0be transported\u00a0by\u00a0trucks, not\u00a0buses.They were not declared,\u201d a ZIMRA officer told\u00a0New Ziana<\/em>.<\/p>\n Bus operators say the practice of transporting goods via passenger buses has become widespread, particularly among traders based in South Africa who send merchandise to Zimbabwe.<\/p>\n \u201cThese chairs\u00a0are destined\u00a0for Harare, but the owner is in Pretoria. This operation is slowing down our business,\u201d said one driver.<\/p>\n However, the crackdown has been welcomed by some in the trucking sector, who view it as a long-overdue intervention.<\/p>\n \u201cA bus is faster and does not require import permits or\u00a0licences, as is the case with trucks transporting commercial consignments. Because of these advantages, clients have increasingly preferred buses,\u201d said one transporter.<\/p>\n \u201cLately, most of our clients have abandoned us for buses, and business has been low. This operation may help restore balance.\u201d<\/p>\n The intensified inspections have also affected ordinary\u00a0travellers, with many reporting prolonged delays at the border.<\/p>\n \u201cWe arrived on Saturday evening, and our bus only reached the inspection bay today. I am exhausted,\u201d said one frustrated passenger.<\/p>\n The situation highlights ongoing tensions between informal cross-border trading practices and formal customs regulations, as authorities attempt to tighten compliance and curb revenue losses.<\/p>\n \t\t\t<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div>\n \nRelated<\/em><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n