By Rex Mphisa
THOUSANDS of South African based Zimbabweans are trekking back to their bases through Beitbridge at the end of the Christmas and New Year holidays.
It is believed close to 500,000 travellers passed through the Beitbridge Border Post during the entire December 2025 festive season.
This figure includes all movements, both arrivals and departures, processed by immigration authorities throughout the month.
As of December 21, 2025, approximately 269,075 travellers had been cleared, with the numbers increasing as the holiday peak approached.
The traffic volumes typically doubled during the festive period compared to off-peak times, when the border processes around 15,000 travellers daily.
While there were considerable delays on the SA side where immigration officials were accused of preference of bus passengers, authorities from both Zimbabwe and South Africa implemented a joint traffic-flow management plan.
The plan is expected to run until mid-January this year, to manage the high volumes efficiently.
At least three million Zimbabweans are believed resident in South Africa legally or otherwise.