More Border Post Woes

AS a frequent visitor to Namibia (my mother was born there, I lived there for four years), with a profound love for the country, I feel compelled to add my comment to an article published on July 10 2006.

My family and I had a wonderful holiday in December 2005 and January 2006 at Namibia’s coast. On returning to South Africa through the Ariamsvlei border post, we had a very bad experience with the staff there.When we arrived there in the evening, the border was closed due to a power failure – an electrical storm had caused this several hours previously.When we asked why the generator was not used, we were told by the border officials that the generator was “f***ed up”.We then asked why it was necessary to close the border.The reply was that there was “no procedure as to what to do in the event of a power failure”.We demonstrated that there was enough light from cars to stamp the passports.An Intercape Mainliner tourist bus was also waiting, and the driver had offered the lights and tables from the bus to the border officials as a temporary “office”.The officials refused this.When we pressed on, explaining that it was extremely inconvenient for ourselves as well as, by now, HUNDREDS of travellers, to wait, considering that alternative plans could be made, the officials became aggressive.They asked me why I thought that I was so important to want to get through the border.They then swore at me.When I asked their names they refused to identify themselves.When I attempted to take a photograph of them they surrounded me like a pack of wolves and threatened to confiscate my passport and have me arrested.Eventually, the border was reopened at approximately 07h00 the next morning.We had been there for around 12 hours, some people for about 18 hours.The experience left such a bad taste in our mouths that we will reconsider returning to Namibia for a holiday.I can only wonder what the other travellers (I am sure some of them were international tourists) thought of the pathetic behaviour of the officials that day.Ciara Reintjes Via e-mailOn returning to South Africa through the Ariamsvlei border post, we had a very bad experience with the staff there.When we arrived there in the evening, the border was closed due to a power failure – an electrical storm had caused this several hours previously.When we asked why the generator was not used, we were told by the border officials that the generator was “f***ed up”.We then asked why it was necessary to close the border.The reply was that there was “no procedure as to what to do in the event of a power failure”.We demonstrated that there was enough light from cars to stamp the passports.An Intercape Mainliner tourist bus was also waiting, and the driver had offered the lights and tables from the bus to the border officials as a temporary “office”.The officials refused this.When we pressed on, explaining that it was extremely inconvenient for ourselves as well as, by now, HUNDREDS of travellers, to wait, considering that alternative plans could be made, the officials became aggressive.They asked me why I thought that I was so important to want to get through the border.They then swore at me.When I asked their names they refused to identify themselves.When I attempted to take a photograph of them they surrounded me like a pack of wolves and threatened to confiscate my passport and have me arrested.Eventually, the border was reopened at approximately 07h00 the next morning.We had been there for around 12 hours, some people for about 18 hours.The experience left such a bad taste in our mouths that we will reconsider returning to Namibia for a holiday.I can only wonder what the other travellers (I am sure some of them were international tourists) thought of the pathetic behaviour of the officials that day.Ciara Reintjes Via e-mail