The assessment comes in the wake of what is termed “a detailed study visit” by SADC Secretariat representatives on 24 and 25 July. Listed among the visit’s objectives were implementation of the co-ordinated border management (CBM) concept, progress on implementation of the one-stop border post (OSBP) concept and transit procedure efficiency. It further included evaluation of time required for release of goods and the state of ICT (information and communication technology) connectivity at the border and with neighbouring Zimbabwe.

The SADC team, a statement reads in part, observed a strategic reduction in the number of border agencies operating at Beitbridge. This fits with South Africa “currently implementing [its] Border Management Authority (BMA)”. The authority comprises immigration, agriculture, law enforcement and port health. “BMA is an advanced stage of CBM concept and was established in South Africa in 2020 starting operations in 2023.” The BMA has co-ordination mechanisms with SA Revenue Service (SARS), SA Police Service (SAPS) and SA National Defence Force (SANDF). Implementation protocols are also in place to for BMA to work with other stakeholder including Cross-Border Road Transport Agency (CBRTA) and the SA national Department of Transport (DOT).

“The number of border agencies were therefore streamlined through the BMA,” the statement notes.

Beitbridge is “currently benefiting from some renovation to be more effective and efficient for facilitating trade and eventually implementing other trade facilitation concepts in line with the SADC regional integration agenda”.

Progress to date on trade facilitation at Beitbridge led the SADC delegation to “consider implementation of the OSBP concept expeditiously” as one leg of improving ease of doing business and increasing intra-SADC trade.

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The Southern African Development Community (SADC) delegation visit to the South Africa/Zimbabwe port of entry (PoE), now firmly under the control of Commissioner Mike Masiapato’s Border Management Authority (BMA) on the southern side of the Limpopo River, had its eye on enhancing border operations in the regional economic bloc’s area of responsibility. Improved and speedier operations align with a July 2013 SADC regional economic integration ministerial task force meeting where SADC ministers committed to improving border efficiencies and trade facilitation at “key border posts”.

The 2024 year-end holiday period saw more than 645 000 what BMA terms “travellers” processed at the Beitbridge PoE on the South African side. This is second to arrivals and departures at OR Tambo International Airport (ORTIA) with another land PoE, Lebombo to Mozambique third at over 571 000.

The Beitbridge PoE is seen by SADC as an essential component of the north/south corridor connecting shipping ports to industrial productivity hubs across the region. The corridor extends from the port of Durban in South Africa to Kasumbalesa in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), passing through both the Beitbridge and Chirundu one stop border posts (OSBPs) in Zimbabwe.

The regional economic bloc delegation was told by Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (SIMRA) Commissioner for Customs and Excise, Batsirai Chadzingwa, Beitbridge is “a crucial junction”. In addition to serving South Africa and Zimbabwe it facilitates trade with Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia.

The upgraded Beitbridge PoE in Zimbabwe, visited by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa ahead of him officially taking into service the BMA as the country’s third security service in October 2023, Chadzingwa says has state-of-the-art border infrastructure allowing it on the Zimbabwean side of the border to operate 24 hours a day.

He is reported as telling the SADC delegation since it was re-opened in January four years ago the PoE has capacity to clear up to a thousand trucks a day and “is considered a model for regional studies and a source of inspiration for other initiatives and developments”.

No mention is made in the SADC statement on the assessment visit of security arrangements for both people and cargoes moving in and out of Zimbabwe.

Beitbridge is one of six PoEs earmarked by the BMA and the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) for redevelopment. This will see better cross-border management of movement of people, goods and services, improved revenue collection and preventing harmful imports and exports former Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said in November 2023.

The other five are Lebombo, Maseru Bridge and Ficksburg (Lesotho), Kopfontein (Botswana) and Oshoek (Eswatini).

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“As the BMA, along with all the stakeholders at the Beitbridge port of entry, we are more than ready to implement the return leg of our festive season plan,” said Masiapato. “We concluded the exit leg on 31 December 2024, and from 01 January 2025, we are prepared to begin receiving people returning to South Africa through Beitbridge.”

The Commissioner was at the Beitbridge port of entry from 2 to 4 January 2025 to oversee operations, supported by Deputy Commissioner Jane Thupana.

Beitbridge is the busiest land port in the country, and with the festive season ending, an uptick in traffic is expected. The port has already seen a steady flow of travellers, but the numbers are expected to rise sharply over the next few days.

Masiapato began the operations on Thursday by chairing a Port Management Committee meeting, which was attended by key stakeholders, including the South African Police Service (SAPS), South African National Defence Force (SANDF), and the South African Revenue Service (SARS). The purpose of the meeting was to consolidate efforts and receive updates on the return phase of the festive season plan.

To accommodate the expected surge in traffic, the port has introduced clear demarcations for streamlined processing. Separate areas have been designated for small vehicles, public transport (buses and taxis), and trucks, with the latter being managed under the leadership of SARS.

“We have clearly demarcated areas inside the port for the processing of small vehicles, buses, taxis, and trucks,” Masiapato explained, add that the processing of trucks is specifically handled in cooperation with SARS.

Although traffic at the port has been light thus far, with fewer than 2,000 travellers processed since by 3 January 2025, Masiapato anticipates a sharp increase in numbers starting Friday afternoon and continuing into the weekend.

“We are prepared to handle the surge in traffic as it starts to build up. So far, the numbers have been low, but we expect to see a significant escalation in the coming hours and tomorrow,” Masiapato stated.

In a joint effort with SAPS, the BMA is also on high alert for stolen or unauthorized vehicles attempting to cross the border. Strict verification processes are in place to ensure that only legitimate vehicles are allowed to enter South Africa.

• Financed vehicles: Vehicles that are financed must have an authorization letter from their financial institution permitting them to leave the country.
• Database checks: All vehicles are cross-referenced against SAPS databases to identify stolen or flagged vehicles using license plate information.
• Active monitoring: SAPS officers stationed along the corridor to the port are actively monitoring vehicle compliance and verifying the status of each vehicle.

“We are committed to ensuring that only legitimate vehicles are allowed to cross. Right now, along the corridor leading to the port, SAPS officers are actively assessing all vehicles to ensure they meet the required standards,” said Masiapato.

As South Africa prepares for a busy travel period, the BMA, along with other key stakeholders, is confident that the Beitbridge port of entry is ready to manage the anticipated influx of travellers. With clear processing protocols, heightened security measures, and a dedicated team overseeing operations, the BMA is determined to ensure a smooth and secure crossing for holidaymakers returning to South Africa.

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Under the command of Joint Tactical Headquarters Limpopo, 10 Anti-Aircraft Regiment (AA) deployed to safeguard South Africa’s northern border on 1 September 2024 and is scheduled to complete their deployment on 30 April 2025.

Based out of Kimberly, 10 AA contributes a Battalion Tactical Headquarters and one Company, Bravo Company, to the deployment. They are joined by Alpha Company, from the Chief Langalibalele Rifles, Charlie Company from 5 South African Infantry, and Delta Company, from the Mapungubwe Regiment. Each Company is assigned a sector of the border, and collectively patrol an area measuring 1 038km in length.

On the morning of 28 November, members of the media gathered at Musina military base before joining Bravo Company personnel for a day patrol along hotspots on the Musina and Pondrift border sections. These sections account for approximately two thirds of the 270 km long border between South Africa and Zimbabwe, which has become notorious for its porous nature, given that it is defined by the Limpopo River, a seasonal river which remains dry for up to eight months per year.

As a result of the unreliable nature of the river, much of the area is fenced by barbed wire, which has been cut and broken countless times, with some sections being left bare and exposed. Previously, the area east of Beit Bridge was secured by an electric fence, but the fence was severely damaged by destructive floods in 2000.

The most frequent illegal activity which the battalion has been tasked with preventing is illegal border crossing, a daily occurrence and almost impossible to prevent.

After mounting up on Toyota Land Cruiser troop packs, the main form of mobility for the SANDF along the border, we drove along the eastern side of Beit Bridge for several kilometres, before coming to a stop at a crossing point frequented by smugglers, known in the area as Goma-gomas.

At roughly 200 metres wide, the dry sandy riverbed has become no-man’s land, an area covered by littered cigarette packets, energy drink cans, beer bottles and cough syrup bottles, with the occasional stagnant puddle, a reminder of the recent rainfall which marks the beginning of the wet season.

On both sides of the river exist small informal settlements. Although separated by the river, they are part of the same community, one which according to a Lieutenant Colonel who was our guide, facilitates smuggling and illegal crossings. As we stood in the riverbed, the Lieutenant Colonel pointed towards the tracks in the sand, fresh from recent activity. Donkeys, and donkey carts, have become a common method of transporting contraband from side to side.

During the day, the donkeys roam freely, drinking from pools of water, and resting under the shade along the banks on either side. Across the river, there is little activity on the Zimbabwean side. From under the shade of a tree, we are watched by groups of people, whom the SANDF personnel identified as “destabilisers”.

As we observed the movements across the riverbed, a man carrying a bucket in each hand passed through our group, and calmly walked across to the other side, knowing the soldiers could not stop him. This became a common sight throughout the day: anytime we approached the bank of the river, migrants and Goma-gomas would simply just run across to the other side, where soldiers could not pursue.

Many of the soldiers who accompanied us expressed a sense of disappointment, noting they could do their best, and would still not be able to prevent illegal crossings. Since the man with the buckets was crossing over to Zimbabwe, it would be the responsibility of Zimbabwean authorities to apprehend and detain him. However, at no point were Zimbabwean authorities present on the other side. According to some of the migrants interviewed at Beit Bridge, Zimbabwean authorities are also part of the problem.

Upon crossing to Zimbabwe, migrants face threats of violence from Zimbabwean authorities, who often extort migrants and steal whatever they have crossed with. Those who cross legally through Beit Bridge must pay tax on goods bought in South Africa, something which many cannot afford, leaving them to risk crossing back illegally.

As we were departing from Beit bridge, we received reports that a group of migrants was attempting to cross illegally under the bridge itself, in broad daylight. Our convoy quickly intervened, and the migrants dropped their cargo and scattered. A lone individual decided to stay with the cargo, facing whatever consequences awaited him.

Surrounded by several large bags of contraband, the man sat sturdy, a stoic impression on his face. It was clear he had faced this situation before and would likely face it again. Approaching after our vehicles came to a stop, I asked him if there were cigarettes in his bags, one of the most common forms of contraband smuggled. To my surprise, he shook his head, and after a close look at the bag nearest to me, I realised he was caught attempting to smuggle shoes, clothing, and other household items.

As we waited for Military Police to arrive, one of the soldiers assigned to us for the day informed us that the group was likely attempting to avoid being taxed by Zimbabwean authorities and was likely carrying orders received from people on the other side. Several people we spoke to at Beit Bridge revealed they cross over weekly, sometimes more than once a week, simply to purchase essential groceries such as bread, cooking oil and soap. One woman noted a trip usually takes her eight to ten hours, with most of the time spent queueing at passport control.

Throughout the day patrol, activity along the border was relatively calm, with one soldier remarking that days are often long, slow and dusty. We would have to wait until nightfall to get a true sense of what really goes on at South Africa’s northern border.

This is part one of a series.

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The pair, aged 32 and 42, were arrested in the early hours of Thursday morning as they entered South Africa at the Beitbridge Border Post.

Police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said the suspects’ Toyota Quantum with a trailer was stopped and searched.

“Police discovered commercial explosives concealed inside the bags. Members of the Musina Explosive Unit attended the scene and 124 blasting cartridges, and at least 109 safety fuses were confiscated.”

The suspects were expected to appear before Musina Magistrate’s Court on Friday on a charge of smuggling and possession of explosives.

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