Government is looking to the private sector to assist in upgrading South Africa's land ports with neighbouring countries. 

The upgrades will assist in improving regional trade between the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), stop the illegal movement of goods and people, and assist in effective migration between the countries, according to the Department of Home Affairs. 

South Africa has 72 ports of entry, of which 53 are land ports of entry, 11 are international airports and eight are sea ports. 

The ports are managed and controlled by the Border Management Authority.  

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi announced that six land ports of entry had been identified for infrastructure and security upgrades. 

These include Beitbridge linking SA to Zimbabwe, the Lembombo border post between SA and Mozambique, Maseru Bridge between SA and Lesotho, Ficksburg between SA and Lesotho, Kopfontein between South Africa and Botswana, and Oshoek between SA and Eswatini. 

The project has been announced as a private-public partnership (PPP) and is subject to approval from National Treasury. 

According to Motsoaledi, South Africa's land ports of entry are in a dire state with increasing volumes of regional and international trade at these ports being "stifled", leading to congestion.

"The South African side of the border looks like an informal settlement while the [neighbouring country's] side looks like Sandton [...] Take a visit to the Lebombo border post in Mozambique where you will see trucks are lined up for kilometres, bumber-to-bumper at hours on end on the N4. Mining companies in the North West, Limpopo and Mpumalanga decided to use the Maputo port for their exports and no longer Richards Bay Harbour," he said.

He said government is looking to improve the security of land ports to ensure that illegal trade is also limited. 

"Our [current] method of managing trucks is via sampling where trucks are selected on the basis of risk profile. We are looking for a prospective company to install the latest technology including gamma ray technology to pick up illegal cigaretters, paper money and [undocumented] human beings."

$1-million (more than R19-million) has been allocated from the SADC project preparation fund at the Development Bank of South Africa for the upgrades, with the project estimated to cost billions of rands. 

The tender application process will close in March 2024, with the project coming to a financial close late next year. Construction on the upgrades will begin thereafter.