
Business Eswatini, through the co-chair of the National Trade Facilitation Committee, Nathi Dlamini, today joined the leadership cadre of ERS, South Africa’s Border Management Authority (BMA), South African Revenue Service (SARS), World Bank officials, and the Road Transport Association at the Oshoek border post to assess the issues at the border that hinder traffic and trade flows between Eswatini and South Africa first-hand.
Also gracing the meeting was the Minister of Home Affairs, Her Royal Highness, Princess Lindiwe, who made an impassioned plea for a 24-hour border operation at Lavumisa. BMA chief commissioner, Dr David Masiapato, undertook to work on the minister’s request as a matter of priority.

The site tour began on the side of Eswatini where operational issues that cause bottlenecks to traffic flow were identified, debated, and possible solutions recommended. Every process, be it immigration or commercial, was meticulously assessed with the view of simplifying process flows. The team then moved to the South African side where the same process was repeated.
The end goal for the process is to establish a single window clearance mechanism that will culminate in a seamless flow of traffic thereby alleviating congestion. The World Bank was facilitating this escapade under the National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC) framework which is co-chaired by the CEO of Business Eswatini, the Principal Secretary from the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade, and the Commissioner General of Eswatini Revenue Service.