South African immigration officials are said to be overwhelmed with thousands of travelling Zimbabweans returning to the neighbouring country.
Beitbridge border post experiences an upsurge in human and vehicular traffic over the festive period as a significant number of the estimated 3 million Zimbabweans living in South Africa cross the border.
A Zimbabwean journalist on his way to his Lesotho base, Ray Mungoshi told The Standard that:
We passed the Zimbabwean side within 30 minutes of entering the Customs area on the Zimbabwe side, but waited for more than three hours on the South African side.
The officials at one time stopped work accusing us of being disorderly. It was frustrating, especially knowing there was nothing one could do. The situation changed dramatically around 8am when the female team leader devised means to have motorists and their passengers served in one section while those travelling by bus were served in another section.