BMA calls for more resources to fight crime at Beitbridge border

The national public entity, Border Management Authority (BMA), says it needs more resources to fight crime at the Beitbridge Border Post between South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Senior BMA officials concluded their four-day border assessment programme at the country’s largest land port of entry on Saturday.

Border Management Authority officials had their work cut out for them over the last four days.

During their mission, they were able to facilitate the movement of over 20 000 people at the Beitbridge Border Post. Over 17 000 people crossed into South Africa from Zimbabwe and other neighbouring countries during that period.

It is, however, the porous borderline that has become a grave concern for the BMA.

Hundreds of people smuggle goods into Zimbabwe through the broken border fence.

Over 120 border jumpers were intercepted and arrested over the last four days.

The BMA says the deployment of sophisticated technology has stiffened its operations at the border.

Assistant Commissioner Nthuliseni Luvhengo says, “We are beginning to see the importance or the benefits of deploying the drones and the push token as well as the bodycams that we have deployed this festive season. So we have intercepted it yesterday only. We haven’t encountered the number of the people that we intercepted. But yesterday we intercepted 75 people. So that includes the number of people using these vulnerable areas or these passages to pass through going to Zimbabwe and also coming to South Africa to either buy some products or something they are going to sell on the other side of Zimbabwe.”

Beitbridge Border Post | Border jumpers intercepted with cargo:

The entity says, while it is making strides, additional resources are needed. Some criminals and border jumpers use technological devices such as binoculars to evade law enforcement officials.

BMA Commissioner, Dr Mike Masiapato, says, “In terms of additional resources, definitely, we need additional resources for law enforcement.” We also need additional resources in terms of specializations such as your immigration, port health environmental, and agricultural environmental biosecurity specialists.”

Meanwhile, thousands of travellers and holidaymakers have begun to make their way into South Africa.

Some have expressed concerns over long queues and hours during the processing of their documents at the border post: “It’s hectic; it’s taking two to three hours from Harare, and then you meet long queues. It’s a lot of fatigue, and the queues are very long.”

“Well, mine did not really take too long at the border. I am trying to process my documents fast.”

Traffic volumes, including commercial vehicles, are expected to continue on Sunday.