BMA adjusts operating hours at borders

Planning to cross the border but worried about cut-off times? Don’t fret.

This Easter period, the Border Management Authority (BMA) has announced extended operating hours at several border posts that do not usually operate 24/7.

The announcement was made over the weekend to accommodate the millions of travellers expected to cross borders during one of South Africa’s busiest travel periods.

At this time of year, many people travel for leisure, to visit family, or - with Easter being a faith-based holiday - for religious purposes.

Border posts are typically congested during this period, and travellers heading to ports that do not operate around the clock often risk being turned back and forced to find last-minute accommodation, adding to their expenses.

To ease this burden and improve convenience, BMA Commissioner Dr Michael Masiapato addressed the media on Sunday, 29 March, outlining measures to improve the movement of travellers and adjust operating hours across key ports of entry.

Some of the borders that will see adjustments to their working hours include: 

• The Groblersbridge port of entry in Botswana will operate 24 hours a day on Thursday, 02 April. On Good Friday (03 April) and Saturday, 04 April, the border, which is usually open from 6 am to 10 pm, will extend its hours from 10 pm to midnight. From 05-06 April, the border will be open 24 hours a day.
• The Kopfontein border will open for 24 hours on 02 and 05 April.
• The Kosibay port of entry (Mozambique) will extend its hours from the usual 8 am to 5 pm to 6 am to 6 pm on 27 March and 10 April.
• Eswatini’s Jeppes Reef, whose current hours are 7 am to 8 pm, will open until 10 pm on 02 and 03 April and again on 05 to 06 April. The Mananga port of entry will also extend its hours to 10 pm on 01 and 02 April and 05 to 06 April.
• Lesotho’s Sanipass will remain open until 7 pm on 01 to 02 April, while the Caledonspoort border will open for 24 hours on 02 April and until midnight on 05 and 06 April. The Van Rooyensgate port of entry will open for 24 hours on 02 April and until midnight on 05 and 06 April.
• Monontsa Pass will close at 6 pm on 02 and 03 April and again on 05 and 06 April. Qasha’s Nek will close at 10 pm on 30-31 March and on 02 April.

In addition to these changes, the BMA has announced the deployment of additional staff at several ports of entry to manage increased traveller volumes and improve service. 

The authority’s Easter operational plan will run from Tuesday, 31 March, to Thursday, 9 April.

“The Execution Phase is divided into two segments, and these are the departure leg running from 31 March to the 04 April 2026 and the arrival leg, which will run from the 05 to 9 April 2026. Based on historical trends, the peak travel volumes for the departure leg are expected on Thursday, the 02 April 2026, whilst the peak travel volumes for the arrival leg are expected on Easter Monday, the 06 April 2026," said Masiapato.

The BMA has also increased staffing at OR Tambo International Airport to ensure smoother processing during the busy period. A total of 80 additional officers have been deployed to assist as Immigration Officers.

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