-
Some of the people that were intercepted trying to cross the Beitbridge border into South Africa.
The Border Management Authority (BMA) says it is concerned about the rising number of minors intercepted trying to illegally cross the Beitbridge border into South Africa.
BMA Commissioner Dr Mike Masiapato says 12 minors were intercepted in the past two days. He says all the minors were handed over to the Social Development Department to reunite them with their families in Zimbabwe.
“Of serious concern, once again here in Beitbridge, is that we are able to aggregate the number of the miners that were intercepted in the past two days. In particular, we had 12 minors that were intercepted. You will remember it was six yesterday and it was six a day before. So, in an aggregated context, we have around 12 miners that have been intercepted here, attempting to enter the country illegally.”
Today, 07 April 2026, @TheBMA_SA Commissioner Masiapato continued with the return-leg of the Easter operations at Beitbridge Port of Entry. Several unaccompanied minors and adults were intercepted in the nearby bushes while awaiting a facilitator to transport them to a bus. The… pic.twitter.com/OuVymYm5zH
— The Border Management Authority SA (@TheBMA_SA) April 7, 2026
Masiapato says a taxi driver who was transporting six of the minors to cross illegally has been arrested.
“One of the taxi drivers who was facilitating the six had to be, you know, arrested, and ultimately a case has been opened. But of course, the minors, all in all, had to be given to the Department of Social Development so that they can actually be reconciled back to their families in Zimbabwe in this instance.”
