South Africa and Zimbabwe are planning to build a one-stop border post aimed at easing congestion and speeding up the movement of travellers and goods between the two countries, South Africa’s Border Management Authority (BMA) said.
BMA Commissioner Mike Masiapato said the project would allow travellers and cargo trucks to be processed at a single point, replacing the current system that requires separate clearance procedures on each side of the border.
The initiative is part of broader efforts by South Africa to modernise border infrastructure and improve trade facilitation along one of southern Africa’s busiest transport corridors.
In addition to the one-stop border post, authorities are planning to construct a new bridge on the western side of the Limpopo River that will be dedicated to cargo trucks, Masiapato said. The existing bridge, which handles both passenger and freight traffic, is a major bottleneck, particularly during peak travel and trading periods.
“The implementation of the one-stop border post is one of the key strategic interventions and decisions of the government of South Africa,” Masiapato told a media briefing. “It is fundamental to where we are sitting now in terms of improving efficiency at our ports of entry.”
He said negotiations were under way with preferred bidders under a public-private partnership arrangement, a financing model increasingly used by South Africa to fund large-scale infrastructure projects.
“On that basis, we can indicate that during the current year, 2026, we are going to start seeing that particular work gaining traction, to the extent that there will be construction sometime this year, around the last quarter,” he said.
The South Africa–Zimbabwe border, anchored by the Beitbridge crossing, is a critical gateway for regional trade, linking South Africa’s ports and industrial hubs with Zimbabwe, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Long queues of trucks, sometimes stretching for kilometres, have been a persistent problem, raising transport costs and disrupting supply chains.
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Regional governments and business groups have long called for a one-stop border model, which has been implemented at several crossings in East Africa and parts of southern Africa, to reduce duplication, cut clearance times and curb opportunities for corruption.
Under the proposed arrangement, border officials from both countries would operate jointly, with travellers and cargo undergoing customs, immigration and security checks only once, rather than stopping separately on each side of the border.
Masiapato said the dedicated cargo bridge would further ease pressure on existing infrastructure by separating freight traffic from passenger vehicles, a move expected to significantly reduce congestion and improve safety.
South Africa has made border modernisation a priority as it seeks to boost exports, attract investment and strengthen its role as a regional logistics hub. The government has also emphasised the need for tighter border management to curb illegal crossings and smuggling, while facilitating legitimate trade and travel.
While no cost estimates were disclosed, officials said the public-private partnership structure would help mobilise funding and accelerate delivery. Similar arrangements are being explored or implemented at other major ports of entry.
Zimbabwean authorities have previously expressed support for a one-stop border post at Beitbridge, and officials from both countries are expected to continue technical and policy discussions as the project moves closer to construction.
If completed as planned, the new facilities could mark a significant shift in how one of southern Africa’s most strategic borders operates, with potential spillover benefits for regional trade, tourism and economic integration.
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