The South African government has come up with a new approach to tighten security at all its borders. A Border Management Authority (BMA) was established and is manned with a third armed unit.
Two-hundred border security guards were deployed to identified, vulnerable segments along the borderline to enhance the country's development by directing people who want to enter or leave South Africa to the official ports of entry.
The Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, officiated during the deployment ceremony at the Beitbridge Border Post on Thursday, 14 July.
The minister acknowledged that the multi-agency-approach system had failed, which included the SANDF, SAPS, SARS, and Immigration and Customs. He said that, because the system was fragmented, none of the departments could be held liable for the border functions. According to Motsoaledi, this was the reason for the slow movement across the border.
The BMA will in future be the sole entity held answerable for border issues and is expected eventually to fully run its own affairs.
The security guards that were deployed all underwent a lifestyle audit and will regularly undergo such to determine how they live. According to Dr Motsoaledi, this is to try and stop corrupt activities within the BMA.
Motsoaledi said that corruption within Home Affairs had always been there, but that the department lacked consequence management. He vowed to see corruption come to an end.
Dr Motsoaledi, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Njabulo Nzuza, Director-General Livhuwani Tommy Makhode from the National Home Affairs office, Cllr Anderson Mudunungu, representative of the executive mayor of Vhembe, as well as Musina Mayor Nkhanedzeni Godfrey Mawela, were taken a couple off kilometres west of the Beitbridge Border Post to one of the vulnerable points of entry, where security guards were deployed.
Guards were also deployed at the bridge, where border jumpers simply used ladders to cross the bridge to gain entry into South Africa.
Motsoaledi said that the number of guards was expected to increase to 600 by the end of this financial year.