Botswana Border Policy Fuels Delays, Congestion on Trans Kalahari Corridor as Calls Grow for Regional Coordination
As trade volumes continue to surge across southern Africa, the urgency for harmonised policies and coordinated regional logistics has become more critical—particularly along vital trade arteries like the Trans Kalahari Corridor (TKC).
A unilateral decision by Botswana in November 2024 to halt the consolidation of cargo at its borders has had far-reaching consequences.
The move triggered significant delays, congestion, and increased transport costs along the TKC, a key route linking Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa.
According to Leslie Mpofu, Executive Director of the Trans Kalahari Corridor Secretariat (TKCS), the challenges were exacerbated by severe flooding in South Africa’s Limpopo province, causing truck queues of up to 20 kilometres at key border posts.
“The TKC has seen unprecedented growth, and with it, levels of congestion we’ve never experienced before,” Mpofu said.
“At border crossings like Skilpadshek and Kopfontein, long queues have become the norm. We’re working urgently to address these delays.”
The core issue, Mpofu noted, lies in the lack of regional consultation and cooperation. Botswana’s policy reversal now requires each item within a consolidated cargo load to be cleared individually, rather than as a single consignment—dramatically slowing down processing times and inflating costs.
“Unilateral decisions without prior coordination have a cascading effect on the entire corridor,” Mpofu warned.
Before the policy shift, trucks could carry up to 100 different types of goods and undergo bulk clearance, enabling faster transit. The new rules have introduced bureaucratic bottlenecks that function as non-tariff barriers, hindering the flow of goods and undermining the efficiency of regional trade.
The TKC, once seen as a model of cross-border trade facilitation, is now grappling with the consequences of fragmented policymaking, highlighting the urgent need for integrated systems, automated clearance, and harmonised customs procedures.
With trade volumes expected to grow further, stakeholders are calling for stronger collaboration between member states to prevent future disruptions and to safeguard the corridor’s role as a strategic trade route for southern Africa.
