Johannesburg - The transport and freight forwarding industries have called for urgent intervention at the Beitbridge border post between South Africa and Zimbabwe"where a humanitarian disaster is unfolding, at the same time creating a potential Covid-19 catastrophe which also threatens a cholera outbreak".
In an open letter to Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize, the organisations called for urgent intervention, outlining the grave conditions, but had to date not received a response from the minister. Maree said truck drivers in the queues had run out of food, had no water for drinking or washing, and there were no toilet facilities. Criminals were looting and stealing from the trucks and drivers had given up hope of getting home to be with their families, while sitting in unbearable heat of more than 40 degrees, she said.