The newly established Border Management Authority (BMA) is acquiring equipment for its land and maritime border guards, with state defence materiel agency Armscor issuing multiple tenders for protective and other equipment.

A July tender called for 303 tactical vests and 103 maritime bulletproof vests, to be delivered to the BMA by 30 November 2024. The vests must offer ballistic protection to NIJ Level II or better and incorporate hard armour plates. (NIJ Level II provides protection against 9 mm and .357 Magnum ammunition, but not assault rifle ammunition.) The maritime vests need to contain a flotation device and have positive buoyancy.

Another July tender called for 400 elbow and knee guard sets and 400 tactical gloves: 300 in green and 100 in black, with the green for border guards and black for maritime guards. Armscor also issued a tender for tactical equipment and gear, including electronics.

The Border Management Authority is getting a range of new equipment for its border guards, with funding from the Criminal Asset Recovery Account (CARA) being used to acquire “critical security and ICT equipment,” which includes unmanned aerial systems, body cameras, and speed boats, with procurement being done through Armscor.

In March, BMA Commissioner Dr Mike Masiapato told the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans (PCDMV) that the BMA is, through Armscor, in the process of acquiring patrol boats to patrol the maritime environment and to ensure domain awareness.

An initial 50 BMA Coastal Guards have been deployed to eight sites along the South African coastline to monitor the various maritime ports of entry (main harbours like Durban, Cape Town and Gqeberha) and also protect marine resources. “Coast Guards conduct maritime border law enforcement functions such as preventing and combating of human trafficking and the illegal movement of vessels,” the BMA said

An initial 200 border guards were deployed in July 2022 ahead of the BMA’s full establishment in July 2023 and official launch that October. In June 2024, 400 junior border guards joined the BMA’s ranks after eight months of training.

From July 2022 to July 2024, the BMA intercepted and deported over 296 000 individuals, who had attempted to enter the country illegally. Additionally, the BMA recovered 303 vehicles which were in the process of being illegally smuggled across the border, and seized significant quantities of illicit goods and drugs.