Beitbridge Border Post is unlikely to be opened to the public anytime soon after South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa authorised the employment of an additional 73 180 members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to assist the SA Police Service (SAPS) in enforcing an extended lockdown.

Ramaphosa specified that the duties of the additional officers would include among other things maintaining law and order through supporting other state departments as well as securing the country’s borders in order to combat the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus in all nine provinces.

“Covid-19 infections cases continue to increase in the country … as a result, I have decided to employ an additional 73180 members of the SANDF consisting of the regular force, reserve force and auxiliary force,” reads Ramaphosa’s letter.

Judging by the tone of the letter, the Beitbridge Border Post might only open by the end of June, considering that the employment of the additional forces is for the period April 2 to June 26.

This is a significant addition to the initial 2820 SANDF members that were dispersed on March 25 across the country to assist police officers in ensuring that citizens adhered to the lockdown measures.

The authorisation of the additional officers by the president was made public on Twitter by DA leader John Steenhuisen who shared a letter by Ramaphosa to the co-chairperson of the joint standing committee on defence, Cyril Xaba.