Herman Mashaba, the leader of ActionSA, has expressed his concern over the state of the Beitbridge Border Post, which connects South Africa and Zimbabwe. After visiting the border, Mashaba described it as dysfunctional and highlighted the challenging conditions faced by law enforcement and border management personnel, according to The Star. He criticised the lack of political will to address the issue of porous borders in South Africa.
During his visit, Mashaba witnessed inefficiencies and corruption allegations at the border post, despite recent upgrades. He also noted the presence of gaps in the border fencing, which allowed for illegal border crossings and the smuggling of goods and drugs into local communities. Mashaba said:
The dysfunctional state of the Beitbridge Border Post between South Africa and Zimbabwe, where the Border Management Authority (BMA) was hastily launched without receiving adequate funding or the transfer of relevant personnel, is emblematic of the lack of political will to tackle porous borders in South Africa.
This morning (yesterday) when I visited the Beitbridge Border Post, alongside ActionSA Limpopo premier candidate Kgoshi Letsiri Phaahla, I saw first-hand the dysfunctional state of the facility which, despite having recently been upgraded, is still plagued by inefficiencies and corruption allegations.
Only a few metres from the border post are gaping holes in the border fencing which easily allows people to cross the border illegally, and for goods and drugs to be smuggled into our communities.
Mashaba blamed the ruling African National Congress (ANC) for failing to address the decay in border and immigration management, stating that the poorest South Africans are most affected by the consequences of porous borders. Mashaba said the problems lie with how immigration laws are implemented by state agencies and the failure to secure borders. ActionSA called for comprehensive reforms in the laws and within the Department of Home Affairs. Mashaba suggested streamlining visa and work permit processes, combating corruption, and ensuring the enforcement of the law by all government officials.
He said instead of hastily launching new entities to tackle the ongoing problems, strengthening existing entities, providing training for personnel, and ensuring that all levels of government enforce the law without bias should be prioritised. Mashaba emphasised the need for politicians to be held accountable and not exempt from the rule of law.
South Africa is considered one of the strongest economies, not just in Southern Africa but in the whole of Africa. Many people from neighbouring countries like Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique, and as far as Nigeria come to South Africa in search of jobs and business opportunities. However, some of them do not have the required documents and end up crossing the border illegally at unofficial points. Some officials claim that the large number of migrants entering South Africa has negatively affected the country’s economy. They argue that undocumented migrants compete with locals for resources, leading to tensions.