South African has temporarily closed its main border post with Mozambique following a series of security incidents reported on the Mozambican side of the entry point.
Border Management Authority (BMA) commissioner Michael Masiapato said on Wednesday that the closure of the Lebombo border post was a precautionary measure meant to ensure the safety of cross-border transporters, travellers, traders and officials.
Violent protests have erupted in Ressano Garcia, a small town in Mozambique’s Maputo province near the border, leading to alarming incidents, including vehicles being torched and the burning of an immigration office.
In response to the escalating situation, BMA officers were forced to retreat to safety on the South African side.
Masiapato said the BMA was working with the South African Police Service and the military to monitor the unrest, aiming to prevent the protests from spilling over into South Africa.
He said the South African authorities are closely coordinating with Mozambican officials and South African law enforcement to monitor developments and work towards reopening the port as soon as it is safe.
The BMA has recommended alternative routes to Mozambique where feasible until the situation stabilizes.
The unrest follows peaceful protests called by opposition groups in Mozambique after the ruling Frelimo won last month’s elections.
JN/APA