Flooding forces temporary closure of Pafuri and Giriyondo border posts

Operations at the Pafuri and Giriyondo ports of entry between South Africa and Mozambique have been temporarily suspended after heavy flooding in the area raised safety concerns for travellers and border officials.

Border Management Authority (BMA) commissioner Michael Masiapato warned on Sunday that the closures follow rising water levels in rivers surrounding the ports, which are located in the Kruger National Park.

The Pafuri port of entry, in the far northern section of the park, is accessed through Pafuri Gate, about 30km away. The gate has also been closed after flood waters made the route unsafe.

According to reports from park rangers monitoring conditions, water levels at the Luvuvhu River bridge rose by about half a metre since Saturday. Authorities also confirmed that the Klein Letaba and Middlevlei rivers are overflowing, while the Letaba bridge is nearing capacity as more water continues to flow into the system.

The Luvuvhu River runs alongside the Pafuri port of entry, increasing the risk to infrastructure, personnel and travellers in the area.

“As a precautionary measure, the BMA has suspended operations at the affected ports of entry until conditions improve,” Masiapato said.

The Giriyondo port of entry, also linking South Africa and Mozambique, is part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a conservation area shared by South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

All BMA officials, members of the port management committee and operational vehicles stationed at the affected ports were safely evacuated. Authorities said no injuries or damage to infrastructure had been reported.

Travellers planning to access Pafuri Gate are advised to use Punda Maria Gate instead, which is about 65km from the port of entry and remains accessible.

The BMA said it is continuing to monitor the situation in collaboration with park management and other authorities, and operations will resume once conditions are safe.

TimesLIVE