Thursday 14 November 2013

Van Rooyen's Gate - smaller commerial entry to Lesotho

Just 8 km outside the eastern Freestate town of Wepener is the Van Rooyen's Gate border post to Lesotho. It is supposedly a tar road but sections have disintegrated into a gravel road. Along the way one passes the town's refuse dump - not a nice sight for visitors into our country.

This is one of the smaller commercial  border posts to Lesotho. SARS and Customs are present but no department of Agriculture. Many businesses with smaller commercial cargo use this border post rather than the busy Maseru Bridge. Hours and sometimes days can be saved with the quicker crossing during the operational hours of 6:00 to 22:00.

We met the local manager of the Border Control Operational Coordinating Committee (BCOCC) who gave us valuable information regarding routes, roads and conditions on the Lesotho side.

Just outside Wepener on the way to Van Rooyen's Gate border post
Entrance to Van Rooyen's Gate border post
The Lesotho side of the border post