The Minister of Labour and Home Affairs, Annah Mokgethi, has confirmed that, as of February 22, 20223, Batswana and Namibians crossing at Mamuno/Trans-Kalahari Border Post will be at liberty to use national identity cards as travel documents.
“Mamuno Border Post will be the first along Botswana-Namibia borders to commence the use of national identity cards as travel documents,” Mokgethi announced during a media briefing in Gaborone this week.
She said Kasane immigration office, Mohembo and Ngoma border posts would follow suite while Dobe border post would follow upon completion of its infrastructure. The minister said the use of national identity card as travel documents would bring families together, while the time and cost associated with cross-border travel would be reduced.
“The use of national iIdentity cards for cross-border travel will enhance the momentum for social, economic and regional integration and further promote safe and orderly migration,” she said.
This, the minister said, would become even more impactful on people’s lives as the Mamuno/Trans-Kalahari border post becomes a full-fledged 24-hour one stop border post.
Minister Mokgethi said the decision would foster social cohesion among the citizen of the two nations, who share profound historical, cultural and economic bonds, in addition to values of democracy, self-determination as a people and the rule of law.
She further said the use of national identity cards would contribute to the objectives of the SADC Treaty, which calls on member states to develop policies aimed at the progressive elimination of obstacles to free movement of people, goods and services.
Under the agreement, citizens using national identity cards will be allowed into each of the countries for a period not exceeding 30 days at any given time and not exceeding 90 days in a year.
Furthermore, Minister Mokgethi clarified each traveller would be issued with a print out detailing their duration of stay, which the traveller must keep on their person at all times during the entirety of their stay.
Asked by the press about the possibility of the same dispensation being extended to other neighbouring countries, Mokgethi said for that to happen, there would have to be consultations with each state.
The permanent sectary in the ministry, Jimmy Opelo, stated that the two nations were not doing away with passports, as those wishing to stay for more than the stipulated period needed passports. He said the use of national identity cards conforms to international travel standards, as movements will still be traceable.
The chief state senior counsel, Advocate Thamsanqa Silitshena said there was no agreement with commercial entities such as banks to accept foreign national identity cards as proof of identity during transactions, therefore those wishing to transact while away from home must carry passports along.
Source: BOPA
