VOA标准英语2010-Zimbabweans Travel to South Africa Despit

Many Zimbabweans living and working in neighboring South Africa travel home during the holiday period, causing massive¹ bottlenecks² at the main overland border post. Despite the delays and the cost, they prefer to return to South Africa after only a few days' stay.

Ish Mafundikwa 31 December 2009

 
Map of Zimbabwe

 

For the majority of those traveling to South Africa from Harare the journey starts at the Road Port, the terminal for cross-border buses.

The Road Port is always packed with buses and people, but during the holidays, it is even busier.  Though the buses go to various neighboring countries, South Africa is the destination of the majority of them.

South Africa-bound buses cross the border at Beit Bridge, one of the busiest ports of entry in Africa.

Though it is open 24 hours a day, Beit Bridge has become notorious³ for the delays travelers experience as they enter and leave South Africa.  The delays become longer over the festive⁴ season as Zimbabweans living in South Africa make the journey home and others travel south to spend the holidays with family or to shop.

Daniel Iluki traveled to Johannesburg to spend Christmas with family.  The journey, which should take no more than 14 hours, took more than 24.

"When going to South Africa, the queue was too much and when coming through in Zimbabwe side they check everything, they bring everything down, it is not easy," he said.

Besides the delay at the border, Iluki says there were numerous police roadblocks on both sides of the border.  But even on normal days, travelers can spend more than six hours at the border.

Elvis Kapfumba travels to South Africa at least twice a month to buy spares for his workshop.

"Sometimes they go on go-slow when you want to go into South Africa," he noted⁵.

South African immigration officers sometimes call labor⁶ actions - such as "go-slow" strikes, which makes travel even harder for many at the border.
 
Travelers also have to cope with higher bus fares over the holidays.  Esther Daniel, who works in South Africa, waited to return to Zimbabwe after Christmas, because, she says, the fares to travel before the holiday rose to almost $100.  That was too much for her.

"We normally pay R300 [about $40], but over the holidays it was double the price," she added.

She also said there was too much luggage on the buses.  Traders still travel to South Africa to buy cheap goods to sell back home.  Blankets, clothes and spare parts seem to have replaced groceries at the top of the shopping list for Zimbabweans in South Africa.  Zimbabwean customs officials scour⁷ the buses for whatever they can charge duty on, adding to the delays at Beit Bridge.
 

1 massive   

adj.巨大的，大规模的，大量的，大范围的

参考例句：

• A massive sea search has failed to find any survivors.经过大规模的海上搜救仍未找到幸存者。
• He drank a massive amount of alcohol.他喝了大量的烈酒。

2 bottlenecks   

n.瓶颈( bottleneck的名词复数 )；瓶颈路段（常引起交通堵塞）；（尤指工商业发展的）瓶颈；阻碍

参考例句：

• Roadworks are causing bottlenecks in the city centre. 道路施工导致市中心交通阻塞。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• At five o'clock in the afternoon the city streets are a series of bottlenecks. 下午五点市中心的街道就成了拥挤不堪的窄路。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

3 notorious   

adj.臭名昭著的，声名狼藉的

参考例句：

• He was notorious as a gambler.他是臭名昭著的赌徒。
• His short temper had become notorious.他的臭脾气是出了名的。

4 festive   

adj.欢宴的，节日的

参考例句：

• It was Christmas and everyone was in festive mood.当时是圣诞节，每个人都沉浸在节日的欢乐中。
• We all wore festive costumes to the ball.我们都穿着节日的盛装前去参加舞会。

5 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

6 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

7 scour   

v.搜索；擦，洗，腹泻，冲刷

参考例句：

• Mother made me scour the family silver.母亲让我擦洗家里的银器。
• We scoured the telephone directory for clues.我们仔细查阅电话簿以寻找线索。