Africa-Press – Eswatini. For years, long queues at the Oshoek–Ngwenya border were a dreaded reality for travelers and truck drivers.
Waiting times could stretch for hours, eating into working days and delaying trade. But today, the experience is changing, proof that smart partnerships can transform lives and economies.
Eswatini and South Africa have come together with a bold vision: to build smarter, faster, and more secure borders. Their joint reforms are already making a difference. At Oshoek–Ngwenya, the region’s busiest crossing, waiting times have dropped from over an hour to just 20 minutes. For business owners, commuters, and families, this is more than a statistic—it’s time saved, costs reduced, and opportunities gained.
The collaboration is going further. Plans are in motion for:
A state-of-the-art one-stop border post
24-hour operations at Kolela to keep trade flowing
Modernized customs systems aligned for smooth transactions
Major infrastructure upgrades, supported by the World Bank’s Southern Africa Trade Facilitation Program
Leaders from both sides say this is just the beginning.
“Together, we will build smart border posts and set a new benchmark for coordinated border management in the region,” said Dr. Michael Masiapato, South Africa’s Border Management Commissioner.
Gugu Mahlindza, Commissioner of Customs & Excise at ERS, added:
“Collaboration is essential. It will enable the seamless movement of people and goods—drivers of economic growth and regional integration.”
By working as one, Eswatini and South Africa are not only easing movement across their borders but also advancing Africa’s continental dream under the AfCFTA, a future where borders connect rather than divide, and trade becomes the engine of shared prosperity.
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