Parliament’s Select Committee on Security and Justice (SCSJ) was last week on the Free State/Lesotho border to see firsthand security issues such as stock theft and illegal grazing as well as how cross-border crime taxes local residents and government entities.
The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) committee was briefed at Tempe, an SA National Defence Force (SANDF) hub of bases, units and accommodation outside Bloemfontein before moving to the border environment proper. Stops during the 21-23 October visit included the Maseru Bridge port of entry (PoE) and border town Ficksburg.
A social media post attributed to Defence Corporate Communication (DCC) has it, after hearing from SANDF officers posted to the border protection tasking Operation Corona, as well as Free State-based Border Management Authority (BMA) and SA Police Service (SAPS) officers, the SCSJ called for an urgent, unified borderline management plan and legislative reforms to strengthen inter-departmental co-ordination.
The call was prompted after the parliamentarians saw infrastructural decay, inadequate staffing, porous fencing and limited surveillance technology. Collectively these weaken national border integrity and facilitate illegal migration, smuggling and stock theft.
A BMA presentation brought to light a 70% staffing shortfall to cover a 285 km stretch of land border, the DCC reported. Similarly the SANDF told the NCOP members it has “only 42 soldiers” to patrol 485 km of land border. Police add to the tale of woe warning of persistent problems such as livestock theft, corruption and a lack of secure pounds with SA Revenue Service (SARS) customs officials confirmed ongoing efforts to counter illicit trade.
A public engagement session at the Ficksburg town hall in Clarens, according to a Parliamentary Communication Services statement, sought solutions to increasing challenges facing border agriculture. Stock theft, cross border crime, rural safety and SAPS service delivery were the main points raised.
Residents called for effective implementation of the National Rural Safety Strategy, particularly at police station level, as well as for sufficient resources to be allocated to safeguard rural communities and prioritise food security. Going further they “urged for adequate resourcing” for the BMA, SANDF and SAPS to effectively address cross-border criminality and ensure farming communities are safe.
The farming community further proposed strengthening SAPS stock theft units by way of increasing trained and skilled detective numbers; expanding vehicle fleets and mobility resources; integrating technology to enhance surveillance and investigative capabilities; and imposing heavier sentences for livestock related crimes.
Residents also called for greater SAPS capacity in rural areas, recommending appointing dedicated rural safety co-ordinators at rural police stations, equipped with dedicated vehicles and clear job descriptions focused solely on rural safety. They proposed the deployment of dedicated crime intelligence resources to rural areas to enhance proactive threat detection, support targeted policing operations and improve overall effectiveness of crime prevention strategies.
On cross-border crimes, residents emphasised increased patrols, improved mobility and additional resources to secure vulnerable border regions and disrupt illicit activities. They further proposed establishing area reaction teams at strategic points for quick response to emerging security threats.
Additionally, there was an appeal to finalise of overdue legislation, including the Pounds Act and the Controlled Animal Bill, to strengthen regulatory compliance on stock theft and stray animals. They also called for stricter regulation of auctions, abattoirs and speculators to curb livestock related crimes.
The Free State Regional Commissioner undertook to deploy additional SAPS personnel to address concerns of the Ficksburg community.
