16 May 2020

Kasane District Health Management Team (DHMT) coordinator, Dr Botshelo Kgwaadira says the DHMT had identified Kazungula Weighbridge as a designated parking place for trucks and they had asked the police to barricade the place day and night in a bid to curb the spread of Coronavirus.

He told BOPA in an interview that 18 truck from Zambia have used the Kazungula Ferry border since May 11, 10 of whom used the border before a requirement that all truck drivers entering Botswana be tested and be allowed inside only if they test negative.

He said the remaining eight were subjected to a test after they were initially denied entry because they did not have their COVID-19 test results with them.

Dr Kgwaadira explained that the drivers spent a night at the border gate awaiting results under the watchful eye of the police so that they did not sneak out to the village.

Furthermore, he stated that those who would want to visit the nearby shops would be required to get a permit first.

Dr Kgwaadira added that the only challenge that they could encounter was of trucks carrying perishable foods. He said the district had enough personnel or capacity to test close to 100 drivers per day as they were also working with ACHAP personnel.

On May 13, the Ministry of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs issued a Savingram to the effect that all truck drivers entering Botswana must be tested and only be allowed inside if they tested negative for COVID-19.

This was prompted by an incident in which a truck driver from South Africa entered Botswana on May 9 and tested positive for COVID-19, thereby prompting government to take drastic decision to combat the scourge. ENDS