By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Border Management Authority (BMA) has assured South Africans that the entity will get rid of corruption and ensure that the country’s borders are safe.
The BMA, which was launched in April, brings together various government departments under one central command with the aim of protecting the country’s borders.
The authority’s appointed commissioner, Dr. Mike Masiapato, says South Africans will be able to see a tangible difference in a year’s time.
He spoke at a briefing organised by the National Press Club in Pretoria on Thursday.
“For that one, I can put my head on the block, and I am saying that in twelve months, people must see the difference.”
Since 1994, South Africa has been using a multi-agency approach in its border management. It was therefore decided that a single agency was needed to manage the country’s borders,” Masiapata said.
Masiapata said the previous multi-agency included seven departments and agencies, including the Departments of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development; Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment; Health; Home Affairs; the South African National Defence Force (SANDF); the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the South African Revenue Service (SARS), which all have a physical presence in the border environment.
Masiapata said managing the country’s borders has been a challenge, especially with the old system.
He explained that the aim of establishing the new agency was to deal with the challenges that the country faces.
“For almost 15 years, there have been some discussions to try and have the Border Management Authority established to deal with the challenges the country is faced with. There was a lot of corruption brought by the old system,” Masiapata said.
Masiapata said BMA officials will be thoroughly vetted.
The BMA has, since its inception, recorded successes, amongst them intercepting stolen vehicles.
In June 2013, Cabinet made the decision to establish a Border Management Agency under the guidance of the DHA.
The decision was taken in recognition of the National Intelligence Co-ordinating Committee (NICOC) 2012 Feasibility Study, which had highlighted weaknesses in border management.
The authority will be responsible for the execution of frontline border law enforcement functions related to, inter alia, port health, immigration control, access control, biosecurity, food safety and phyto-sanitary control, land border infrastructure development and maintenance, and border information and risk management.
It is intended that the new agency, the BMA, will adapt and respond effectively to the challenges, threats and opportunities that exist in the border environment whilst safe-guarding South Africa’s borders and meeting the country’s national, regional and global developmental responsibilities and human rights imperatives.
Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi appointed two hundred border guards in July 2022, who are stationed along the country’s borders, to help assist the country in putting an end to crime.
Since then, over 30,000 immigrants trying to enter the country have been arrested for trying to gain illegal entry into the country.
Masiapato said the agency has also denied the entry of at least 65,000 undesirable persons who are wanted for various crimes in their home countries.
“Some of those are people who were wanted by their respective jurisdictions for having committed any kind of crimes out there. Thus, we had to ensure that they are returned to their jurisdictions to face whatever they were supposed to.”