Question NW3334 to the Minister of Home Affairs
10 October 2022 - NW3334
Khanyile, Ms AT to ask the Minister of Home Affairs
What progress has his department made in providing a One-Stop Border Post in Beitbridge?
Reply:
Cabinet adopted and approved the One Stop Border Post (OSBP) policy in March 2022.
OSBP legislation must be enacted which should inter alia allow for the deployment of the employees in the foreign territory through a co-location principle. Draft legislation will still need to be prepared and considered by Cabinet. The Department is procuring the service a specialiset legistaive drafter to assist in this regard. The deadline for submission of the draft OSBP Bill to Cabinet is 31 March 2023 as per the Department’s 2022/23 Annual Performance Plan (APP). Should Cabinet approve, it will become the prerogative of Parliament to enact the legislation should it wish to do so.
Implementation of the OSBP at Beitbridge would be possible once the applicable legislation is in place and the border post is redesigned and redeveloped. In respect of the redevelopment of our key six land ports of entry, including Beit Bridge, the Department of Home Affairs has requested approval from National Treasury for TAII approval in accordance with the prescribed Public Private Partnership (PPP) process. This approval will enable the Department to issue a request for proposals (RfP) to the market.
To summarise, for a One-Stop Border Post to work at Beit Bridge, the enabling legal framework must be created and the physical layout of the port of entry changed, in consultation / agreement with the Zimbabwean government.
END