The tip-off reportedly given to “military police officials” of the Mthatha-based infantry battalion saw soldiers alert Lebombo customs officials to an apparently abandoned and loaded truck at a nearby fuel stop on the N4. The loaded truck/trailer was taken to the SA Revenue Service (SARS) Lebombo where more than 6 700 pairs of sneakers as well as 340 pairs of Diesel branded and 216 branded pairs of G-Star jeans were found. The trainers were branded Adidas, Jordan, Lacoste, New Balance, Nike, Reebok and Vans.

All told the clothing and footwear was valued at R8 427 600. In addition to the big Lebombo haul soldiers also relieved smugglers of unspecified contraband worth R1.69 million on the Mpumalanga/Mozambique border in November.

The trade in counterfeit goods is a major issue for South Africa’s law enforcement agencies, which recently recorded other successes. At the end of October 2025, the Hawks seized R59 million worth of counterfeit Nike, Versace, and Gucci products during a raid on a freight container depot in Durban. Weeks earlier, authorities seized R260 million worth of illicit goods from over 100 shops in the North West province – police seized over 86 000 counterfeit items from stores in Coligny, Klerksdorp, Lichtenburg, Mahikeng, Potchefstroom, Rustenburg, Ventersdorp, and Zeerust.

In revealing its Operation Shanela II and Safer Festive Season Operation statistics over the last week, the SAPS said in the Western Cape, they uncovered an illicit alcohol manufacturing plant in Lansdowne and arrested two suspects aged between 26 and 39 years old. They were arrested for the illegal manufacturing and distributing liquor. Seizures included manufacturing equipment, an assortment of alcohol branding stickers, and unknown liquids.

The illicit alcohol industry has grown from R6.4 billion in value in 2017 to R16.5 billion in 2024. It has become so prevalent that roughly one in five bottles of alcohol is illicit. These are mostly either counterfeit or smuggled into South Africa.

Also in the Western Cape last week, members of the Provincial Organised Crime Investigation Narcotics Unit intercepted a truck on the N12 en route from Johannesburg to George carrying drugs. A box containing cocaine worth R3.6 million was seized and arrested a 46-year-old suspect for dealing in cocaine.

In Mpumalanga, police acting on intelligence intercepted a truck pulling two trailers with 12 water tanks with 5000-litre capacity packed with cartons of illicit cigarettes. The seized consignment consisted of 25 pallets of illicit cigarettes worth R17.4 million. A 43-year-old foreign national from the Kingdom of Eswatini was arrested after the discovery of illicit cigarettes hidden inside water tanks in Sundra on 5 December 2025.

Also in Mpumalanga, two Zimbabwean foreign nationals were arrested for dealing in dagga. This is after police intercepted a truck on the N2 Road from Empangeni en route to Zimbabwe and discovered six big bags of compressed dagga to the value of R1.2 million on 4 December 2025.

According to statistics from the Joint Operations Division of the SANDF, in November soldiers, from both regular SA Army and Army Reserve units, also stopped drugs worth just over R2 million from coming into South Africa via the country’s borders with Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

An unspecified number of vehicles with a total value of R1.45 million were prevented from illegally exiting South Africa en route to chop shops or for export from Botswana, Eswatini, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

That the original reason for the Operation Corona border safeguarding tasking – preventing illegal immigrants – still applies comes with interception of 302 in November, with 239 Zimbabweans the majority of those handed to police and Department of Home Affairs (DHA) officials. Basotho, Mozambicans, Swazis and Zimbabweans made up the remaining illegal immigrants nabbed by soldiers who were also integral to the detention of 30 suspects sought by police in connection with crimes not specified by the Joint Operations Division.

Livestock – cattle, goats and sheep – found illegally with an attributed value of R872 210 on South African pastureland was impounded. As is normal Basotho pastoralists were the biggest offenders accounting for R622 710 worth of livestock which either wandered across a non-existent or broken border fence or were herded into the Free State province.

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In July, Commissioner Michael Masiapato’s fledgling BMA (it marked its second anniversary in October) told Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations (JSCA) and the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs (PCHA) its 2023/24 budget request was R2.9 billion but it received less than half (R1.34 billion). This allocation increased marginally to R1.4 billion in 2024/25, with R1.47 billion allocated for the current 2025/26 financial year.

Lieutenant General Lawrence Mbatha’s landward force, along with the rest of the SANDF, knows full well and has lived with effective decreases and only minimal funding increases from Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s National Treasury (NT) for more years than successive defence and military veterans’ ministers care to remember. Apart from putting the brakes on acquisition of replacement equipment, this has seen no increase in boots on the ground for the SANDF Operation Corona border protection tasking – still standing at 15 “sub-units”, mostly infantry companies, deployed along the 4 470 km plus land border.

Exact numbers of soldiers from the regular and reserve components as well as other SA Army formations deployed to protect border integrity are not known. In this regard African Defence Review Director Darren Olivier estimates the current 15 “sub-units” amount to between 2 300 and 2 500 soldiers deployed at any one time, working on the basis of 160 in an infantry rifle company.

Against this is the BMA, which a Parliamentarian said earlier this year has 673 “border law enforcement officers” on its total personnel strength of 2 606, including 400 newly appointed junior border guards. When fully staffed the BMA is mooted to have over 11 000 personnel.

Indications are around four thousand plus of these could come from the SA Police Service (SAPS) which, according to Democratic Alliance (DA) Member of Parliament (MP) Adrian Roos, are already assigned duties at air, land and sea ports of entry. They, like some Department of Home Affairs (DHA) officials, are set to move onto BMA personnel strength sooner rather than later in the wake of a meeting between now suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, replaced by Firoz Cachalia on 1 August, and the Home Affairs Ministry incumbent, Leon Schreiber. At the beginning of May, authorisation was given for the transfer to the BMA of police and Department of Home Affairs officials carrying out border functions.

As it presently stands the entity specifically tasked with border protection has the least number of border guards confined to 10 km on either side of land ports of entry, with the SA Army having around 2 300 soldiers on the ground doing the hard yards in often unhospitable terrain ranging from thick bush to desolated semi-desert and mountains. The most recent example of the dangers faced by soldiers on border protection was the apparently trampling to death of a soldier by an elephant in the Madimbo area of operations.

The South African Police Service remains at present a contributor to border security with officers based at air, land and sea ports of entry. There are about 4 400 police officers assigned to border control and protection duties.

In a joint presentation to Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs on 18 July, the BMA said the main risk it faces is limited capacity, which hampers its ability to effectively fulfil its mandate. This has been worsened by the lack of additional funding allocated to the entity, leaving it unable to recruit much-needed human resources or invest in technology that could alleviate pressure on existing staff. Moving forward, the BMA will prioritise filling critical positions, and is requesting additional funds through the Criminal Assets Recovery Account (CARA).

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Briefing the media on festive season law enforcement plans for 2025/26, Masiapato said BMA immigration officers processed 9 283 658 travellers in the second quarter of the current financial year – a 23% jump from the 7 576 650 movements recorded in the same period last year.

He said the uptick in movements coincides with strengthened border enforcement supported by surveillance technology, especially drones. During the quarter, 8 135 apprehensions were recorded across ports of entry and vulnerable segments: 4 092 undocumented individuals, 2 061 inadmissible travellers, and 1 982 undesirables.

“The majority of the intercepted foreign nationals were Basotho, followed by Mozambicans, Zimbabweans and Swati nationals, reflecting a consistent long-standing migration pattern within the sub-region,” Masiapato said.

Masiapato added that since the Border Guards were first deployed in July 2022, officers have stopped about 505 065 individuals from entering the country illegally.

Interceptions during the quarter also included 15 high-powered suspected stolen vehicles, believed to have been targeted by criminal syndicates for smuggling out of South Africa. The South African Police Service (SAPS) has taken over further processing.

“The incremental figure stands at about 349 vehicles since the deployment of the first contingent in July 2022,” Masiapato said.

BMA officers also seized 1 700 kg of counterfeit clothing and footwear valued at R1.28 million, bringing the cumulative value of counterfeit goods intercepted since July 2022 to about R220 million.

Additional seizures included half a kilogram of crystal meth, 240 grams of heroin, illicit cigarettes valued at R827 500, and 40 fraudulent travel documents confiscated mainly at OR Tambo International Airport (ORTIA), Cape Town International Airport (CTIA) and Vioolsdrift.

Port health operations screened 172 858 travellers, with 73 refused entry for failing to present valid yellow fever vaccination certificates. Officials processed 997 mortal remains — 964 exports and 33 imports — and returned 25 due to incomplete documentation.

Masiapato said port health teams also handled 43 729 health-related consignments, while intercepting and destroying 5 000 units of illicit birth control pills and 117 medical test kits, including skin lightening creams.

“In this regard, the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) has warned that many of these products contain harmful and illegal ingredients, including high concentrations of mercury, hydroquinone and tropical steroids, which pose serious health risks,” he said.

Health teams tested 969 travellers for malaria, confirming 57 positive cases, who were transferred to medical facilities. In the agricultural stream, 39 316 consignments were processed.

Boosting port security

Masiapato also announced a key operational development. The BMA, in partnership with Transnet National Ports Authority, has secured permanent operational space for Coastal Guards at the ports of Mossel Bay, Gqeberha, Richards Bay and East London.

“This is a critical development towards establishing BMA’s full-time presence in these important seaports,” he said.

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Briefing the media in Pretoria on Sunday, Masiapato said the four-phase plan — covering planning, execution, demobilisation and sustenance — is designed to ensure smoother traveller processing and tighter border security during one of the busiest periods of the year.

He said the planning phase, which began on 15 September and concludes on 9 December, has included extensive consultations with public and private sector stakeholders.

“The planning phase is characterised by extensive consultative engagements with multiple stakeholders in the country operating in both public and private sectors. As a result, we have managed to secure few critical partnerships with various stakeholders as guided by section 5(c) of the Border Management Authority Act,” he said.

Among these new partnerships are agreements with the South African Freight Forwarders Association, the Association of Meat Importers and Exporters, and the South African Association of Ship Operators and Agents, which will help fund some BMA operations through a cost-recovery model.

Technology companies such as DCD Protected Mobility, Aselsan South Africa and Unipro Protective Wear will assist in rolling out a suite of surveillance and protective tools.

“Drones and body cams will be fully operational to improve our detection capability and also address possible corruption from our team members,” Masiapato said.

To ease congestion at key ports, the BMA has also partnered with TRAC and SANRAL to strengthen traffic flow management at the busy Lebombo port of entry.

Masiapato added that the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure will again provide temporary infrastructure — including lighting, ablution facilities, barricades and Jojo tanks — across ports and corridors.

Additional ICT technicians will be deployed to support the movement control system, with further remote assistance from the South African Revenue Service (SARS) and the Department of Home Affairs.

Masiapato said South Africa had also held discussions with neighbouring countries — Lesotho, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Namibia, eSwatini and Botswana — to streamline cross-border operations.

“As a result, we have agreed to adjust operating hours at some of the key ports which do not operate on a 24-hour basis,” he said.

The execution phase will run from 10 December 2025 to 15 January 2026, split into a departure period (10 – 31 December) and a return period (1 – 15 January).

During this phase, enforcement measures will be tightened.

“We will be intensifying our measures to detect and seize narcotics, illicit goods, and even stolen vehicles. We want to warn all travellers to desist from committing any act of criminality around the ports or even in the border law enforcement areas as they will be detected and arrested,” Masiapato said.

Demobilisation will take place on 16 January, when ports that had extended operating hours revert to normal schedules.

The final sustenance phase begins on 17 January, with operations stabilising ahead of the 2026 Easter period.

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This as the BMA, SARS, and the DPCI, working with other stakeholders, have confirmed a breakthrough in the fight against wildlife trafficking, following a coordinated transnational operation that resulted in the seizure of a significant consignment of rhino horns and lion/tiger parts destined for the South East Asian illegal market.

The operation conducted on Monday, was led by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) Wildlife Trafficking Section, with support from the BMA, SARS Customs, Tracker Connect, the Gauteng South African Police Service (SAPS) Tactical Response Team and the Gauteng SAPS Airwing, among others.

“The intelligence-driven operation was launched after a suspicious consignment originally dispatched to Singapore, was identified and returned to its sender in South Africa. Investigative teams traced the shipment to a storage facility in Kempton Park [in Gauteng]. Upon execution of the search, four boxes were identified and thoroughly examined.

“Inside the boxes, officials uncovered 17 rhino horns weighing 55.4 kilograms, along with 26.2 kilograms of lion and tiger bones, skulls and claws,” said the BMA in a statement on Thursday.

Two Nigerian nationals, aged 34 and 35, were identified as the receivers of the consignment and were taken into custody.

The two appeared in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, 03 December 2025, on charges relating to the contravention of Section 57(1) of the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (Act 10 of 2004), which prohibits restricted activities involving listed threatened or protected species.

The value of the items has not yet disclosed due to ongoing forensic and valuation processes.

The multi-agency investigation remains active, and additional arrests have not been ruled out as authorities pursue all leads and deepen cooperation with both domestic and international partners.

The Commissioner of the BMA, Dr Michael Masiapato, commended all agencies involved for their seamless coordination and reaffirmed the unwavering commitment to combating wildlife trafficking, which threatens South Africa’s natural heritage and fuels organised criminal networks.

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Masiapato was speaking during the Border Management Conference held at Pretoria’s CSIR International Convention centre on 19 November. Building on the successes of last year’s conference, the BMA highlighted how technology, collaboration, and institutional reforms are reshaping the country’s border management environment to bolster national security, advance regional integration, and foster economic development.

Masiapato argued that South Africa’s borders had historically been operationally fragmented and underprioritised, resulting in systemic inefficiencies, grey areas of accountability and opportunities for corruption and criminal exploitation.

He emphasised that modern border management must be viewed as an integrated ecosystem, not only encompassing land ports of entry, but also maritime, aviation and borderland spaces. He pointed to ongoing efforts to introduce advanced non-intrusive inspection systems, improved surveillance tools, and digital platforms to enhance situational awareness and operational effectiveness.

While acknowledging progress, most notably the successful ‘time-study’ at the Oshoek Border Post (M17 corridor) which saw crossing times reduced from an average of 9 hours to just 20 minutes, Masiapato stressed that technology alone would not fix structural challenges, pointing out the need for ethical leadership, stronger internal controls, and a unified organisational culture across the Authority.

As such Masiapato outlined the five priorities set by Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber to drive the BMA’s revitalisation of the South African border environment. These include the adoption of new digital technologies and tools, rethinking of business processes and operational models, improving customer experience, leveraging data analytics for decision making, and changing organisational culture and mindset.

Schreiber, for his part, took the conference as an opportunity to reflect on the practical challenges faced by the BMA and tangible progress made, since he and the Government of National Unity came into office, reminding attendees of the collective vision outlined during the 2024 conference: “to build secure borders for development through partnership and technological advancement.”

Schreiber emphasised that collaboration is not optional but fundamental to border reform. “Coordination with different stakeholders is embedded into the founding DNA of the BMA,” he said, adding that the Authority was created “to overcome the fragmentation that has long undermined efforts to improve border management processes,” adding: “The good news is that that spirit did not end when this institution was formed, it continues to grow and thrive as the BMA journeys towards its destination of implementing modern, efficient, and secure border management processes.”

Particularly notable was his insistence that the BMA’s work must remain grounded in real operational challenges. “Our job is not pontificating and have big theories and ideologies; we have to solve practical problems. How do we get our exports out of the country, how do we get critical imports into the country, how do we prevent illicit trade, how do we combat illegal immigration, these are practical real on-the-ground problems.”

Additionally, Schreiber highlighted the progress made on the legislative front. “Another critical step towards collaboration to strengthen border management came through the recent passage of the One-Stop Border Post bill by the National Assembly,” he said. The bill, he contended, “holds the key to taking our commitment to collaboration international and into the regional space.”

Parallel to the bill, the BMA is “advancing Public-Private Partnerships to physically rebuild border posts at Beitbridge, Lebombo, Kopfontein, Maseru Bridge, and Ficksburg,” which he said are being “designed from the ground up for the latest technology.”

“These one-stop border posts have the potential to unlock enormous economic potential for our country and for our region,” Schreiber said.

Schreiber also emphasised the tangible progress made in terms of digital security, noting that the rollout of modern digital systems has become the cornerstone of South Africa’s immigration overhaul. “The BMA has used the last year to lay the foundation to automate, digitise, and secure South Africa’s immigration process. Let me say this, ladies and gentlemen, this is how we solve illegal immigration, this is how we do it.”

Schreiber took particular pride in the successful rollout of the Electronic Travel Authorisation’s (ETA’s) first phase at Cape Town and O R Tambo International Airports, calling the results “incredible.” To date over 10 000 ETA applications have been approved, he said, while “hundreds of applications have been rejected because the system is able to identify fraudulent passports and people using other people’s passports much more effectively than human eyes ever could.”

Schreiber stressed that the move to a biometric, AI-driven system marks a vital step forward: “Ladies and gentlemen, that is a revolution, that is the foundation of national security.”

Schreiber promised that, “we will make sure that no foreigner is ever again allowed into our country without providing us secure biometrics and critical information. It frankly boggles the mind that South Africa has for so long allowed people to come into our country without providing the same biometric information that South African citizens already provide to the population register.”

Both Schreiber and Masiapato assured those in attendance that the results of digital transformation are already visible, with Schreiber confirming a “66% increase in illegal border crossing interceptions.” While they acknowledged that the BMA continued to face “major funding constraints” and still requires physical capacity to complement technology, Schreiber insisted that the work being done “is proving to be a catalyst for progress, placing South Africa on a path towards a more secure, more efficient, and more development-orientated border operations.”

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The operation, a BMA statement has it, took place during the early hours of 19 November and saw the authority’s newly acquired video scope inspection toolkit put to good use. Its advanced imaging capability enabled junior border guards to detect a concealed load on a commercial truck coming into South Africa from Zimbabwe.

The hi-tech “tip-off” – as it were – prompted a physical inspection which saw 14 so-called “master boxes” of Remington Gold cigarettes confiscated and a Zimbabwean arrested. The confiscation is now in the hands of the SA Police Service (SAPS) with a docket opened.

The new scanner, as per the statement, was decisive in detecting this illicit load, underscoring the value of continued investment in modern border control technology. It reads further “the efforts of junior border guards continue to ensure co-ordinated rapid response. The joint operations approach that needs to be implemented by law enforcement working in vulnerable areas is central to disrupting sophisticated smuggling networks”.

“Illicit tobacco deprives the South African Revenue Service (SARS) of critical revenue. By intercepting such consignments, the BMA helps to safeguard tax integrity and public finances. Beyond the immediate financial loss, illicit cigarettes pose health risks and fuel organised crime,” the statement has BMA Commissioner Michael Masiapato saying.

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Among those to address the conference was Milkor’s Daniel du Plessis, as well as Armscor’s Lea Peterson. They both presented a frank assessment of South Africa’s current capabilities, arguing that the scale of the challenge requires a combination of modern surveillance technologies, smarter procurement approaches, and enhanced operational integration across the border environment.

Du Plessis, Milkor’s Marketing and Communications Director, began by highlighting the immense scope of the Border Management Authority’s (BMA’s) mandate and the challenges it faces. He noted that that the BMA oversees some 71 ports of entry, of which 52 are border posts, 9 are sea ports, and 10 are international airports, notwithstanding the country’s 4800km land border and 2800km coastline. He pointed to South Africa’s vast maritime domain as an area of particular concern, noting that the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone, which spans “more than 1.5 million square kilometres,” is increasingly vulnerable to resource exploitation and expanding shipping routes. This, he argued, requires strengthened “maritime surveillance, maritime operational capabilities and response capabilities.”

Despite the BMA’s fiscal and personnel constraints, du Plessis commended the BMA’s performance to date: “The BMA has had a tremendous track record…of doing extremely good work with the available resources, both in terms of personnel and funding.” But he stressed that the scale of South Africa’s border security task exceeds the BMA’s current capacity. Drawing on international benchmarks, he noted that effective border protection “typically requires 3-5 personnel per 1km to patrol” in high-risk environments. Applied to South Africa, this suggests “a need for between 10 000 and 15 000 dedicated border personnel,” significantly above the BMA’s present staffing levels.

Du Plessis also identified equipment shortfalls as a major concern. Benchmarking against Europe, Asia and the US, du Plessis said that ideally South Africa would need to have “about 240 to 480 routine border units [vehicles]” and “100 to 150 armoured vehicles” for high-risk areas. Maritime capability, he added, would ideally involve “about 350 patrol craft and offshore vessels supplemented by 9-12 long endurance UAVs.” Current availability, he noted, is nowhere near this ideal.

While du Plessis placed a strong focus on the BMA’s various challenges, he emphasised that this assessment “is not a criticism,” but an honest reflection of its operational environment. “Current challenges are funding and staffing…it limits your day-to-day operations, limits the funding required for new technology, new equipment, and infrastructure upgrades…and limits the staff available for operations.”

Despite these challenges, du Plessis did point to a number of areas where significant progress has been made. These ranged from improved transit times at the Oshoek Border Post to the BMA’s “tremendous work in apprehending over 6 000 undocumented immigrants,” noting that while the “successes show potential they are still only the tip of the iceberg.” He said there is still a lot to be done.

Du Plessis argued that strategic investments in technology could significantly reduce undetected crossings and improve operational efficiency. Advanced unmanned systems, in particular hold significant potential for force-multiplying benefits, he argued, pointing to the Milkor 380 UAV as an example of the ideal asset required for persistent surveillance, given its “30 hours endurance, 4 000km range, and a multitude of different advanced sensors.”

“Using unmanned vehicles to overcome large areas of unmonitored land and maritime borders, with limited staff, could reduce undetected crossings by 50 percent,” du Plessis stated.

Like other industry representatives present, du Plessis called for greater collaboration with South Africa’s defence industry, noting that many of the required capabilities already exist locally. “We are exporting everything you need already to foreign countries, why not make use of this,” he said.

Moreover, he urged the adoption of public-private partnerships (PPPs), arguing that PPPs “supplement and add to the state’s capabilities” without replacing them. As an example, he proposed a pilot project for a “400 km Beitbridge security zone,” offering the use of a Milkor 380 UAV with the state only responsible for the running costs.

Procurement must become a strategic enabler

Lea Peterson, Business Enablement Projects Coordinator at Armscor, addressed the legal, technical, and operational considerations that underpin border-security procurement.

Using the recent adoption of body-worn cameras as an example, she noted that systems must meet stringent national requirements, ensuring that evidence is “handled securely, that is not altered and is auditable.” She described body-worn cameras as essential for both safety and transparency, adding that they are “foundational support for the BMA’s mandate.”

On technology acquisition more broadly, Peterson stressed that systems must be “legally sound, user friendly, and technically robust.” For drones, this includes “user controls, collision avoidance, and avoiding drifting.” She warned that funding shortages affect not just equipment, but also long-term compliance and operator performance. “We cannot swap the issue of funding for investment in equipment that makes the work of our officials easier,” she said.

The crux of her argument was that agencies, like the BMA, when approaching procurement, must think strategically. Procuring the right system, at the right price, is far more effective over the long term than buying for the sake of it. “Our commitment must be for strategic investment not just expenditure,” she emphasised. “Ineffective border technology leaves South Africa vulnerable to various illegal activities which directly erodes national security and costs the fiscus.”

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Commissioner Dr Michael Masiapato said the border environment had been “strategically neglected” and outlined five priorities set by the Minister of Home Affairs, including adopting new digital tools, redesigning port processes, improving customer experience, expanding data analytics and shifting organisational culture.

Masiapato reported early operational gains, including cutting truck delays from nine hours to about twenty minutes at the N17 corridor.

Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber highlighted progress on the Electronic Travel Authorisation system, which has already approved over 10,000 applications using AI-based passport and biometric verification.

Dedicated ETA lanes are now active at OR Tambo and Cape Town airports. Schreiber argued that this digital-first approach is key to tackling illegal immigration and reducing fraud.

Schreiber also pushed the One-Stop Border Post Bill, saying integrated border posts with neighbouring states could significantly cut waiting times and spur regional trade.

While acknowledging funding constraints and limited enforcement capacity, Schreiber said technology such as AI-enabled drones had already boosted interception of illegal crossings.

Both leaders stressed that modernisation, collaboration and data-driven policing are reshaping South Africa’s border system, with further reforms expected in 2026.

Written by The Daily Friend and republished with permission. The original article can be found here.

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The awareness campaign under the banner of the Border Management and Immigration Anti-corruption Forum (BMIACF) was on show for the first time at the Beitbridge port of entry (PoE) on 11 November. It, as per a BMA statement, sent out a strong message to officials working at the border those engaged in corruption will face the full might of the law.

Convicted offenders shared “their regrettable experiences” with BMA personnel in an effort to discourage corrupt activities before finding themselves in correctional facilities. The statement has it further while offenders were treated with dignity “incarceration remains a difficult experience” because freedoms taken for granted disappear.

“Prison is very painful. My advice to all public officials is if you are already engaged in corruption, it is better for you to stop now; for your sake and that of your family,” according to an incarcerated offender quoted in the statement who attended the awareness campaign.

Similar sentiments were echoed by another behind bars official. Currently serving a 15-year sentence she is quoted as saying: “I was working in law enforcement but due to acts of corruption, now I find myself wearing the corrections uniform. I have grandchildren who come to visit me in custody and they wonder why I am not returning home. I have to come up with excuses each time they come to visit me and make up stories about where I am. It’s only a matter of time before they understand what is going on. I have lost friendships and my job”.

BMA Commissioner and Chief Executive, Dr Michael Masiapato, said the BMIACF enables integrated border law enforcement and relevant stakeholders to have conversations about the consequences of corruption.

“Beitbridge is one of our biggest and busiest ports, which is also an entry into the rest of the continent. It is important that we have this awareness campaign here so officials do not find themselves involved in wrongdoing,” the statement has him saying. It is against this background a preventative approach against corruption is crucial to enable would-be perpetrators to understand where their actions could lead to

The BMIACF, chaired by Special Investigations Unit (SIU) Head, Advocate Andy Mothibi, will leave no stone unturned in its endeavours to deal decisively with corruption in the border management and immigration environment. He is on record as saying corruption undermines the public’s trust in government institutions.

Since establishment of the forum, investigations have been instituted to ensure consequence management against corruption becomes the order of the day. “Those who commit corruption are brazen and daring. The BMIACF is fit-for-purpose to attend to such individuals without fear or prejudice,” he said.

The BMIACF, in addition to the BMA and SIU, has the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigations (DPCI) – the Hawks – onboard with civil society organisations.

Formed in March the forum is a platform for collaboration among key law enforcement organisations, civil society and business to address systemic corruption and illicit activities in the sector. The forum, according to the BMA statement, highlights the South African government’s “all of government” approach to rooting out corruption through multi-agency collaboration sharing data to effectively stamp out fraud and corruption.

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