Pretoria, South Africa – The authorities in South Africa said they have stopped an illegal migration of 440 children through the South African-Zimbabwen borders.
According to the BMA commissioner, Michael Masiapato who was addressing the media during a briefing in Pretoria on Sunday, the children, aged eight and under, were found in buses without a parent or a guardian.
“Fairly, they were being trafficked into South Africa,” said Masiapato.
“We were able to take them out of those buses and we were able to engage with Zimbabwean officials. We were able to send them back for processing.”
The BMA said it is implementing a comprehensive plan including longer border post operating times and deploying more officers on the ground as part of its festive season operations to tighten security in South Africa’s borders with neighbouring states.
Additional 380 officers are expected to be deployed at selected busiest ports of entry.
Michael Masiapato
Masiapato said the BMA expects at least 6-million people to move through South Africa’s borders during the festive season.
He added that the authority has also been able to stop more than 40 000 people who were attempting to gain entry into the country illegally, saying they were deported back to their countries of origin.
The BMA has engaged with six immediate neighbouring countries on the “synchronisation of processes and other work modalities” including working hours, said the commissioner, emphasising that the authority will also be keeping a close eye on any illegal activities.
“We would also be focusing on curbing illegal movement of persons and goods with specific focus on cross-border organised criminal elements and other general crimes perpetrated in the ports of entry and border law-enforcement area,” he said.
“We have put all measures in place to detect and confiscate narcotics, contraband, illicit goods, and even stolen vehicles.
“We therefore want to urge all travelers to desist from committing any acts of criminality as they will be detected, arrested, declared undesirable, and then deported.”
