In an effort to address the congestion and delays at the Kasumbalesa border, South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have agreed to address the challenges of infrastructure, equipment and procedures at the border.

This border post is a point of entry into the DRC from Zambia and is the main transit point for freight trucks from South Africa and various countries in the region.

"As part of addressing the challenges, we committed to support the DRC in automating the Kasumbalesa port of entry. Other proposed solutions include the extension of border operations to 24 hours a day, the establishment of a one-stop border post as well as the use of alternative border posts to ease congestion at Kasumbalesa.

"We further agreed to support the use of railway as an alternative to decongest the Kasumbalesa road network and the development of a dry port," Minister of Transport, Sindisiwe Chikunga, said on Sunday.

Chikunga recently held a bilateral meeting with her counterpart from the DRC, Minister Marc Ekila Likombo, where they agreed to undertake a joint ministerial visit to the Kasumbalesa port of entry, in the Province of Haut Katanga.

The joint visit to the border was held on Saturday. It followed the successful 12th Bi-National Commission co-chaired by the Presidents of South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo, President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa and President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, respectively, on 6 July 2023.

Chikunga said the resolution of the Kasumbalesa port of entry requires the participation of the Zambian government in the conversation.

"To this end, I will be engaging with my Zambian counterpart on their participation in the discussions to find a lasting solution to the congestion problem."

The joint communique also affirmed an earlier decision to convene a dialogue and workshop in South Africa on matters of mutual cooperation, covered in the memorandum of understanding (MOU), including resolution to challenges of the Kasumbalesa border post.