The department of home affairs has decided to withdraw the designation of Zanzibar as a point of entry following a request by Botswana officials.
In a Government Gazette publication, minister Aaron Motsoaledi said the decision was taken following consultations with his counterparts in Botswana.
“The above designation of the ports of entry will take effect from 01 December 2023,” Motsoaledi said.
The Zanzibar border post between SA and Botswana has had numerous temporary closures over the years because of flooding from the Limpopo River.
The most recent flooding incident took place in 2019.
“The Zanzibar Port of Entry was temporarily closed in December 2019 as a result of flooding that damaged road infrastructure that leads to it. Further, in formal communication, the Botswana government requested that the RSA government consider the permanent closure of the port. The Botswana government closed the port permanently on the Botswana side in March 2023,” the department said.
“The department of home affairs inherited the port from the SA Police Service and commenced services in February 1993.”
In March, the government of Botswana said the border post would be permanently closed because of continuous flooding.
As an alternative, the authorities in Botswana urged travellers to use the Platjan border post, which has a new bridge, built in 2022, which seems to be high enough above the river to remain open even if the Limpopo is flooding.
Prior to December 2019, Zanzibar cleared on average 18 travellers per day, according to home affairs.
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