JOHANNESBURG — More than four million people entered and left South Africa through all its national points of entry over the past month, the Department of Home Affairs has reported.
By BDLive
During the period December 1 to January 1, 4,2 million travellers were recorded on South Africa’s movement control system, which operates at border posts, sea ports and airports.
Of this total, 1,99 million represented arrivals while 2,24 million people left the country.
“The top Sadc (Southern African Development Community) destinations which recorded the highest traveller movements are Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mozambique, Swaziland, Botswana, Namibia, Malawi, Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“On the other hand, the top country destinations outside the Sadc region included the UK, US, Germany, Netherlands, Australia, France, India, People’s Republic of China, Nigeria, Sweden and Canada,” the department’s spokesman, Ronnie Mamoepa, said in a statement.
The top 10 ports of entry which recorded the highest numbers of traveller movements remained OR Tambo International Airport, Beitbridge, Lebombo, Maseru Bridge, Ficksburg, Oshoek, Cape Town International Airport, Kopfontein, Ramatlabama and Golela.
The department said the processing of more than four-million travellers was made more efficient and effective through co-operation with state agencies such as the South African Revenue Service, the South African National Defence Force, the South African Police Service and local metropolitan police, and the departments of health and agriculture.
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More immigration officials were deployed and the operational hours for all ports of entry were extended during the festive season.
“These current measures being deployed in all ports of entry will remain in place for the multitudes of travellers expected to return to South Africa following the festive season and anticipated from January 3 2014.
“The measures will be extended to include the period of the Chan 2014 African Football Tournament which will take place in South Africa from January 11 to February 4,” Mamoepa said.
