Last night the BMA temporarily closed the border post due to ongoing post election protests in Mozambique. Protesters allegedly stormed the border, setting alight buildings and vehicles belonging to officials.

More than 30 Mozambican police officers have since taken refuge with officials on the South African side of the border.

The BMA Commissioner Dr Mike Masiapato elaborates "Our team is actually on the ground at Lebombo. They're busy engaging with the Mozambican counterparts to be able to determine how safe it is for us to be able to reopen the port.     But one thing that is very much fundamental is that even if we are to reopen the port, the challenge that we have on the Mozambican side, the protesters actually bend their processing offices for immigration as well as for customs. We have to then look at options to say how do we then bring them on our side and make sure that we process all of those together with them on the South African side to allow the people to enter into Mozambique. However, we can only come to that decision if we are sure that indeed as they cross into the Mozambican side they will be safe."


--SABC--