Prince Chese
A South African businessman was forced to charter a private helicopter to airlift his Zimbabwean managers from the Beitbridge border post after they were denied entry for three days due slow processing of travellers by South African Immigration authorities.
Slow processing of travellers has sparked criticism of the Border Management Authority (BMA) of SA accused of focusing more on policing undocumented migrants than facilitating legitimate travellers.
The incident, which occurred around January 10, 2026, saw the businessman spend around R70,000 to fly the two employees to another port where they completed their paperwork then continued to Johannesburg via Uber Black.
The employer, identified as Mr. Winegum said he had no choice but to intervene after losing over R100,000 in business due to the absence of his managers.
Delays at Beitbridge are reportedly caused by congestion and inefficiencies in the Immigration Department which has already admitted it was not prepared.
Legally documented individuals faced long delays in stark contrast to the relative ease with which undocumented migrants navigate informal routes.
This situation has sparked broader concern over the BMA’s priorities, with critics saying the system seems more preoccupied with targeting illegal entries while creating bureaucratic bottlenecks for those who follow the proper channels.
The Beitbridge border, one of the busiest in Southern Africa, continues to face pressure from both legal and illegal movement.
Travellers with correct documentation say they are the ones being unfairly penalised by sluggish procedures.