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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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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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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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 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.

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Speaking at the CSIR@80 | G-STIC Pretoria Conference session titled “Building National Resilience Through Home-grown Technological Innovations for Safety and Security,” Masiapato delivered a clear assessment of South Africa’s border challenges and the urgent need to refocus on and re-establish security as a cornerstone of the country’s national development agenda.

“No jurisdiction can effectively develop unless that particular jurisdiction can understand the imperatives of safety and security,” he told attendees.

Masiapato explained that during and after the 1994 democratic transition, the country drifted away from traditional security concerns towards “issues of social security. While that was critical, unfortunately we did too much, to the extent that the reality now caught up with us. That is why we are now trying to reverse or go back to the fundamentals around the issues of safety and security.”

The Strategic Importance of the BMA

The BMA, as one of South Africa’s three primary national (armed) law enforcement authorities (the others being the South African Police Service and the South African National Defence Force) is responsible for managing and controlling the “legitimate movement of people and goods across all South African ports of entry,” Masiapato explained.

It operates across some 71 ports of entry, including 52 land ports with six neighbouring countries, ten international airports, eight seaports, and one “dry port” at City Deep, Johannesburg. In addition, the BMA operates within a 10 km area along South Africa’s international borders, including the country’s approximately 3 900 km long coastline (a 10 km inland control strip and a 12-nautical-mile maritime zone).

According to Masiapato, the BMA’s mission extends far beyond policing borders and controlling migration. Effective border management, he argued, is fundamental to both national security and economic growth. However, “systemic vulnerabilities in our border processes have, for too long, undermined our national integrity,” he said. Manual, opaque procedures have created “fertile ground for corruption, eroded public trust, and compromised our security.”

Digital Transformation as a Strategic Imperative

To address these weaknesses, the BMA is implementing a sweeping digital transformation strategy, which Masiapato described as a “strategic imperative” and a “radical, comprehensive automation of all border processes.”

The initiative is focused on three main objectives:

“Removing the paper: eliminating the physical pretext for manipulation and fraud.”
“Digitised processes: create an immutable, transparent digital audit trail for every transaction.”
“Automated decisions: enforce consistency, speed, and impartiality in line with the law.”
According to Masiapato, the ideal outcome is a border environment that is secure, efficient, and trusted.

One example is the BMA’s work on Authorised Economic Operators (AEO), a system that will register trusted freight operators and allow them to pass through ‘green lanes’ using number-plate recognition and digital authorisation. Masiapato explained that this would not only aid in the fight against corruption but also greatly improve the flow of goods and people across South Africa’s borders.

“Trucks waiting two weeks to cross Beitbridge is not sustainable for trade, regional integration, or the implementation African Continental Free Trade Area,” he emphasised.

Technology and Home-grown Solutions

Masiapato stressed that digitalisation must go hand in hand with investment in home-grown technology. “The minister is a key driving force behind the BMA’s digitalisation transformation. In this a need was identified to work with home grown tech companies and research bodies, such as the CSIR,” he said.

He also warned that an over or total dependence on technology from foreign countries, even those considered “friends or strategic partners”, creates serious strategic vulnerabilities. “Even in that instance, if you happen to go to war and you completely depend on technology from allies, they can simply just shut you down, making you vulnerable to attack.”

To this end, the BMA is introducing several initiatives to stimulate and support domestic innovation and technological development. These include: preferential procurement policies; public-private innovation partnerships; regulatory sandboxes or safe test environments (for local innovators to trial technologies in live settings); and skills transfer mandates requiring foreign vendor contracts to include the mandatory upskilling of local teams.

New Technologies for Safer, Better Borders

Additionally, the Commissioner highlighted a number of technologies already being deployed, including long-range drones for border patrols, body cameras for on-site personnel, and advanced passenger processing systems that screen travellers before they board flights bound for South Africa.

“E-gates are coming, we will be installing some now for the G-20,” he said. Adding, “it is something critical for the better facilitating of people, so that when they get to the port they can be processed through facial recognition and biometric screening before they travel.”

Masiapato explained that this would not only ease the travel experience of visitors to the country, but also better enable South Africa to conduct ‘pre-analysis’ on travellers before entry into the country.

“Before they land you already know who they are, you already know that they are harmless and therefore they just walk into the country.”

Reclaiming integrity through innovation

For Masiapato, digitalisation and home-grown innovation are not only about efficiency, they are about restoring integrity and public trust in the border management system.

“Our mission is to systematically eliminate the space for corruption,” he said. “The current system encourages it. If you wait two weeks at a port and someone says, ‘Pay R500 and you’ll be through in 30 minutes,’ of course you’ll pay. We are changing that.”

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Patriotic Alliance (PA) Member of Parliament (MP) Millicent Mathopa, was told by Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber 51 650 illegal immigrants were deported in the 2024/25 financial year at a cost of R78 140 005.

This is close to 11 000 more than were deported in the previous financial year at a cost of over R11 million less. The figures for the 2022/23 financial year show 22 560 illegal immigrants were deported at a cost of R32 million, while 39 627 people were deported in 2023/24 at a cost of R67 million.

The figures given in reply to Mathopa’s August Parliamentary question differ from those given by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) in an April ministerial statement. That Schreiber statement had it 46 898 illegal immigrants were deported in the 2023/24 year – an increase of 18% over 2022/23.

He ascribed the deportation increase to what he said was “the effectiveness of enforcement operations” resulting from improved collaboration between his department, Commissioner Michael Masiapato’s Border Management Authority (BMA) and General Fannie Masemola’s SA Police Service (SAPS).

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All told SA Army soldiers from both the regular and reserve forces confiscated R5.8 million worth of contraband and drugs from smugglers, with Mozambicans attempting to enter South Africa illegally across the KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga borders the biggest culprits.

Drugs valued at just over R3 million were seized in three provinces, with the largest haul (R2 million) seized in Mpumalanga last month. Contraband worth R2.8 million was recovered by soldiers, with the majority of that being seized in Limpopo (R2.4 million).

In August soldiers on the border protection tasking Operation Corona confiscated narcotics worth just under R800 000.

Illegal immigrant apprehensions in September totalled 322, according to statistics from the Joint Operations Division of the SANDF – well up from the 64 detained in August, but still short of the 456 handed to Department of Home Affairs (DHA) officials and police in July.

At 222, Mozambicans were the single largest contributor to the month’s illegal immigrant apprehensions with Mozambicans stopped by soldiers on the KwaZulu-Natal border adding, along with Swazis, 36 to that number. Twenty-three Basotho and six Batswana also found themselves in custody ahead of deportation to their home countries.

Soldiers on land borders with Eswatini, Lesotho and Mozambique recovered livestock (cattle and small stock such as goats and sheep) worth R1.1 million in September. Cattle all told valued at over R500 000 was moved to police and other compounds after being found illegally on South African pastureland bordering the same three countries.

No livestock was reported recovered in August by the Joint Operations Division of the SANDF, nor were any firearms seized.

In September, soldiers also prevented an unknown number of stolen vehicles valued at R7.9 million from illegally exiting South Africa via the Mpumalanga/Mozambique and Limpopo/Zimbabwe land borders. This compares with R1.8 million worth of stolen vehicles recovered in August and R8 million in July.

Joint Operations further reported the apprehension of 36 “criminals” attempting to reach Lesotho and Mozambique in September. A total of 27 criminals were apprehended in Operation Corona patrols in August.

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