Over five million travelers were processed through South African borders over the festive period - BMA

Over five million travelers were processed through South African borders over the festive period. This was revealed by The Border Management Authority Commissioner, Dr Mike Masiapato. who briefed the media on Sunday, on its festive season plan which was implemented from the 6th of December 2023 to the 18th of January 2024.

The mandate of the Border Management Authority (BMA) is to facilitate and manage the legitimate movement of people and goods across South Africa’s 71 ports of entry of which 52 are land, 10 are international airports and 9 are seaports.

‘’Let’s start on immigration matters, as the BMA we managed to facilitate the legitimate movement of about 5 096 288 travellers across our 71 ports of entry between 6 Dec 2023 to 18 Jan 2024. This number represent an increase of 1 million travellers compared to the 2022/2023 number of 4 million travellers. However, this number of travellers is still 1 million less to the pre-Covid average numbers of about 6 million travellers. In facilitating the movement of these travellers were processed over 216 594 private vehicles, 21 502 mini-bus taxis, 6 443 buses and 55 765 trucks through our movement control system.’’

‘’Further, we processed over 13 050 aircrafts through our international airports and about 709 vessels across at our seaports. In addition, about 407 vessels were processed for crew changes through the off-port limit mechanism (which means crew changes without a vessel docking at port) in our maritime environment. In this festive period, OR Tambo International Airport facilitated the majority of travellers at about 993 759, followed by Lebombo land port of entry to Mozambique at 755 066, followed by ⁠Beitbridge land port of entry to Zimbabwe at 745 563 travellers.’’

PHOTO - X: @GovernmentZA: BMA commissioner, Mike Masiapato

Masiapato said ORTIA registered an increase of 22% in traveller volume, Lebombo registered a 24% increase while Beit Bridge registered a 25% increase, Compared to the 2022/2023 festive period. He added that about 15 900 individuals attempted to enter the country illegally

‘’In this instance, after intercepting them, we took their fingerprints, declared them undesirable and banned them from re-entering South African for a period of 5 years and keep the record in the Biometric Movement Control System and got them deported. The majority of these individuals were intercepted at and around Lebombo land port of entry at 6 808, followed by Beit Bridge land port of entry at 1 891. Further, about 6 455 travellers were denied entry into South Africa for being undesirable, these include individuals who committed crimes in other countries and appear in the INTERPOL red list. In addition, about 4 626 travellers were refused entry for being inadmissible.’’

‘’These include individuals with invalid passports, fraudulent visas or just failed to produce valid yellow fever certificates while travelling from yellow fever endemic countries. Therefore, in the 43 days of this festive period, when adding the numbers of undocumented (15 924), the undesirables (6 455) and those that were inadmissibles (4 626), it is a total of 27 005 individuals who were deported while attempting to enter South Africa illegally. During this period, we observed an increased detection rate of the undesirables and this is due to increased utilisation of the Biometric Movement Control Systems (BMCS) after the Department of Home Affairs increased its roll out across the ports of entry. As a contemporary movement control system, the BMCS allows our officials to capture the biometric data of travellers.’’  

Masiapato raised concerns about some public transporters who continue to transport illegal migrants across South Africa’s ports of entry and border law enforcement areas. 

‘’During this period, we imposed about 98 administrative fines to various conveyancers especially bus companies to the value of R3 540 000 for transporting illegal migrants at the cost of R15 000 per person as per section 50 (3) of the Immigration Act of 2002. At the same time, we were able to collect about R 9, 8 million in outstanding fines from about 25 bus companies. Further, we also held a meeting with about 30 bus companies which transport people in and out of South Africa and implored them to stop transporting illegal migrants into South Africa.’’

‘’In this regard, they have committed to ensure that valid passports would be required from all travelers when procuring cross border tickets and for entering into the bus on travel day.  We further engaged the leadership of Cross Border Road Transport Agency (CBRTA) and agreed that bus companies should comply with the conditions of their cross-border permits, otherwise, such permits would be withdrawn. In this regard, we would like to call upon all law-abiding conveyancers to partner with the officials of BMA and expose those perennial law breakers. As the BMA, we would like to commend the sterling work of the law enforcement authorities in the neighboring countries and other parts of the continent who continue to intercept, arrest and deport illegal migrants in their territories destined for South Africa,’’ added Masiapato.

The Commisioner said more than 200 suspects were arrested for various crimes and confiscated about 4 tube boats which were used by facilitators to aid illegal migrants from crossing rivers into South Africa.

‘’In addition, various types of illicit drugs were confiscated that include 1.4 kg of chrystal meth, commonly known as tik, 3,5 kg dagga, 4-gram heroin, 24 mandrax tablets, 10 tablets of dapoxetine. The Border Guards also participated in over 451 roadblocks which were conducted at the requisite corridors within the 10 km radius from the ports of entry. A further 4 638 foot and vehicle patrols were conducted across all modalities in both ports of entry and the vulnerable segments of the borderline.’’  

He added the BMA personnel intercepted and seized a number of unauthorised consignments of Crayfish, canned meat products, infested tinned gammon ham, wheat beer, Hazelnut paste, hatching poultry eggs, packs of water and various other plants and animals such as canines.

‘’In this regard, we would like to commend the majority of travellers for headed our call to avoid bringing alien invasive species as well as foreign pests associated with plants, animal products and other regulated goods into South Africa. In this regard, it should be noted that the importation of plants and or animals and or their respective products is highly regulated and requires the requisite sanitary and phytosanitary certifications by the relevant government departments for presentation at the ports of entry.’’

On Port Health matters, and Following the outbreak of cholera in Zimbabwe, Malawi and some parts of Zambia, the BMA port health team intensified its screening activities at the Beit Bridge border post. As such, a case of cholera was detected at Beit Bridge and was handed over to the Limpopo health authorities for further examination and treatment. Masiapato said a total of 2 394 persons were cleared and granted a clean bill of health in various vessels at SA’s maritime environment.

‘’Therefore, in order to protect South Africa from any kind of microbiological, chemical, communicable and or infectious diseases, including any kind of physical environmental hazards, all returning travellers presenting signs of illness or symptoms should visit their nearest health facilities or their private doctors for consultation with the intention to fully disclose their travel history,’’ said Dr Mike Masiapato, Border Management Authority Commissioner.

 

Done By: Mitchum George