BMA anticipates influx at border posts ahead of schools’ reopening

January 10, 2025 15

The Border Management Authority (BMA) says it is preparing to deal with the influx of people returning to the country at the ports of entry ahead of the reopening of schools next week.

The South African 2025 Academic year starts on Wednesday.

Already movement at the borders has slowly started to pick up, with BMA Commissioner, Dr Michael Masiapato, saying the main issue they have been dealing with is an increase in illegal migration.

He says they have intercepted hundreds of people at the border posts who were trying to enter the country without proper documents.

The authority has been hard at work since the start of the festive season and even employed drones to assist them to ensure safety at the border posts.

Masiapato says the illegal entry into South Africa through the border line in Musina, Limpopo, remains one of the biggest concerns for officials at the Beitbridge Border Post.

The BMA has ramped up preparations at the port of entry in a bid to ensure that only those with proper documents enter into South Africa.

He says over the past two days, they have intercepted more than 400 people attempting to enter the country, without the correct documentation.

Masiapato adds that 400 000 people are crossing through both the Lebombo and Beitbridge borders as travellers head back to South Africa.

Since Monday, he says, their officials have legally processed around 17 000 people at those border posts daily and they expect the numbers to increase over the weekend.

He says his team is, however, ready to handle the influx despite concerns over corrupt officials who were caught assisting illegal migrants to gain access to the country.

The authority has also had a tough time over the past few weeks, as it worked hard to manage the Lebombo Border Post amid the ongoing instability in neighbouring Mozambique.

Tensions have been simmering in the country since October, with opposition supporters protesting over alleged rigged election results. Over 200 people have died and scores others were injured as the result of the conflict.