Staff Reporter| Beitbridge border post is today yet another war zone between government and members of the public over imported goods from South Africa.
ZimEye.com sources at the border indicate that goods worth hundreds of thousands of dollars were today confiscated by Zimbabwe Revenue Authority officials under the new customs regulations promulgated last week.
According to the sources, none of the cross border transporters known as Malaisha crossed the border into Zimbabwe as they preferred to go back to South Africa with their goods than have them taken away by the state.
The chaotic situation has forced a huge congestion of confused Zimbabwean shoppers and transporters stranded in Messina South Africa not knowing what to do next.
Heavy police and state security agents patrolled the border post to quell any disturbances similar to the unrest that took place last week.
“Goods are being taken away without any negotiations even from people offering to pay customs duty for their goods, ” said a source.
“The officials are refusing to even allow us to go back with the goods to South Africa after refusing them entry into the country,” added the source.
Meanwhile, unconfirmed rumours allege that the South African border authorities have also immediately banned entry of Zimbabwean products into South Africa leaving several trucks stranded at the border.
On the other side, smugglers known as magumaguma are reportedly making a killing smuggling goods across the Limpopo River. Police and soldiers manning the borders on both sides of the river are reported to be working with the smugglers for a killing too.