‘360,000 moved through Beitbridge’

The Border Management Authority (BMA) says it has recorded more than 300,000 people moving in and out of SA through the Beitbridge border post in Musina, Limpopo, since December 10.

Spokesperson Mmemme Mogotsi said since New Year's Day, thousands more have been streaming back into the country. On Friday, the number of people who returned through Beitbridge sat at 9,500, the BMA said. 

“This is the return leg, [but] we have 365,000 [travellers] in terms of overall processing of people coming in and out of the Beitbridge port of entry from December 10 until January 4.

“Last year for the same period of December 10 to January 4, we recorded arrivals and departures of more than 416,000 [at Beitbridge]," she said.

According to Mogotsi, Beitbridge is the busiest port in the country during the festive season.

“Previously, Lebombo used to lead in terms of people who are processed but due to threats of disruptions of services [due to civil strife in Mozambique], it led to reduced numbers."

Mogotsi said the BMA needed R4.5bn to “protect" the border ports. She said it also needed 11,000 staff to fully support its operations.

“It has been a challenge but we are working with what we have."

She said last year the BMA used drones borrowed from the department of agriculture to monitor movements at five border posts.

“We are able to detect illegal movements and send our border guards to react and intercept people using vulnerable segments [of the border] to come into SA," she said.

“We need funding to be able to monitor and do proper surveillance and also have systems to profile (travellers). We need advanced technology to be able to do certain things."

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