Four buses carrying 25 foreign nationals each were escorted back to Lebombo Border Gate by police on Sunday 22 March. The South African Police Service (SAPS) ordered the Trans African Concession (TRAC N4) to prevent the buses from leaving the Machado Toll Plaza outside eNtokozweni in Mpumalanga and to stop them from continuing on into South Africa, according to The Lowvelder.
A spokesperson from TRAC N4, Solange Soares, confirmed to The Lowvelder that members of Nelspruit and White River’s Flying Squad escorted the buses back to Lebombo Border Gate. The tourists were all from Japan.
Speaking to TimesLive, Soares said:’ Police received information on the buses which our officials stopped at the Machadodorp toll plaza at 11:40am. The buses, which were travelling west, were stopped as they entered the toll lanes.’
When the group arrived back at the gate, border gate officials were confused as to why they had returned. ‘They are in the country legally and we do not understand why they were brought back here,’ an official said to The Lowvelder. Japan is also not listed as a high-risk country in South Africa.
Government’s command council, which was established to combatting Covid-19 from spreading in the country, is deciding whether to or not to let the foreign nationals in to South Africa, according to TimesLive.
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