KZN-Mozambique anti-crime barrier due for completion 'in a few months'

The KwaZulu-Natal department of transport and human settlements has after numerous delays set a 2025 target for the completion of a concrete wall to bolster border security along the South Africa/Mozambique border.

The department was earlier this year tasked with fast-tracking the raising of the jersey barrier walls in Manguzi, northern KZN, having been initiated in 2018 as an intervention to curb cross-border crime.

Providing updates on the construction on Wednesday, MEC Siboniso Duma said they had made great progress.

“A new contractor was appointed after the previous contractor defaulted on his contractual obligation and the department had no option but to terminate the contract,” he said. “There is great progress and we should be done, if everything goes accordingly, by next year. We are projecting the completion in the next few months.”

Duma said facilitating the project had been one of his aims in his first 100 days since assuming office in June.

The 25km operation to construct the barrier is being implemented in three phases:

• an 8km barrier from gate 6 moving west towards Tembe Elephant Park;
• another 8km from the boundary of iSimangaliso Wetland Park moving to the west; and
• the last phase will be 9km stretch extending from the western boundary of Tembe Elephant Park towards the Phongolo River.

Duma added the project had to include environmental conditions to lessen the harm to nature and species in the area, which contains  a lot of wetlands.

More than 7.4km of concrete barriers have been erected to date, as part of the 8km first phase of the project set to be completed by December.

Duma said the project had already started yielding positive results .

“We have been able to limit the exporting of stolen cars and other goods through KZN and to Mozambique. Last year alone, 30 stolen vehicles a month crossed into Mozambique. This number has been reduced.”

He said securing this border, which has been identified as one of the country’s “high risk borders” was important as uMkhanyakude district municipality, which it falls under, attracted a lot of tourists and investments.

“There is the SA free-trade zone in place because there is serious trade taking place in that area so we’ve identified the need to protect this area.”

He said Mozambique was helping by posting soldiers to the area.

“Along Umhlabuyalingana there is a permanent presence of the SANDF and from time to time we do roadblocks, and Mozambique does  the same. We have intercepted a lot and I think we will see improvement in the near future.”

He said the project had been well received by locals as businesses and individuals had gained subcontracting work and training.

“Through the project, 40 local young people have been trained and given job opportunities under the National Youth Service Programme. In addition, the department has strategically placed one of its candidate engineers, Siphamandla Hlongwane, as a resident engineer for the project. This is part of his professional development which will see him gain relevant experience for registration as a professional engineer with the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA).”

“This has saved us millions which would have been spent on consultants to manage the project,” Duma said.

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