South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced last week Wednesday that the country is preparing to reopen its borders on October 1

The development, when officiated, will benefit cross border businesses in the nation, as border closures restricted entry and exit of goods in countries surrounding the nation, therefore affecting various importers and exporters in the nation. In June, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNCEA) called for the extra preventative measures for cross-border traders, considering that their nature of business exposes them to higher risk of contracting covid-19.

UNCEA indicated, in a policy brief titled Informal Traders: A Balancing Act of Survival, that informal cross-border traders have been hit hard by Covid-19, hence trade requirements should be relaxed for informal traders to survive. Meanwhile, the reopening of SA borders and more to come, will have to implement strict safety measures for both travelers and businesses.