Travellers decry Ebola screening process

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TRAVELLERS from South Africa using the Beitbridge border post have had to contend with long queues and delays, sometimes waiting for up to 14 hours, which they blame on Zimbabwean authorities.

TRAVELLERS from South Africa using the Beitbridge border post have had to contend with long queues and delays, sometimes waiting for up to 14 hours, which they blame on Zimbabwean authorities. LUYANDUHLOBO MAKWATI OWN CORRESPONDENT

The travellers say the Zimbabwean Ebola screening process was tedious and unnecessarily drawn out, inconveniencing particularly users of coaches.

Ebola screening
Ebola screening

One of the travellers, Sibusiso Ndlovu, who returned to Zimbabwe at the weekend, said they were kept for hours at both South African and Zimbabwean border posts, as officials said they were conducting Ebola screening among passengers and drivers who were travelling across the two countries.

“We arrived at the border around 11pm on Sunday and we only left the Zimbabwean side at midday on Monday,” he said.

“We were informed that the immigration department and health officials were conducting Ebola screening on people suspected to have the virus.”

Bus drivers spoke of the lengthy delays, saying this was affecting business.

Drivers said they normally arrived in Bulawayo between 6am and 7am, but with the delays at the border, they would be lucky to get to the city before 11am.

Assistant regional immigration officer Francis Mabika confirmed to Southern Eye that they were conducting Ebola screening in conjunction with the Health and Child Care ministry, but the delays were not caused by the programme.

“There can be delays, but we have been running this programme with the Ministry of Health and there were no delays all this time,” he said.

“You can’t say the Ebola screening programme is the one causing delays at the border post.”

Mabika was quick to say that the Zimbabwean side had been working efficiently and that the delay was on the South African side, stating that he could not shed light on what was the cause of the delay as he was not a South African official.

“On our side we have been working efficiently,” he said.

“I understand the delay was on the South African side and I cannot comment on the issue because I am not a South African official, but all I can say is that we are doing our part.”

Beitbridge is one of the busiest inland ports in Africa, handling about 9 000 travellers daily.

The figure sometimes soars up to more than 25 000 during holidays.

During festive seasons some travellers spend at least a full day in the queues in a bid to gain entry.