Beitbridge – A South African man has been apprehended at the Beitbridge border post for allegedly facilitating the illegal entry of undocumented migrants into the country for a mere R300 per person.
The Border Management Authority (BMA) confirmed the arrest, stating that the man was caught through drone surveillance and subsequently intercepted by BMA officials as he attempted to leave the patrol zone in Musina, accompanied by two undocumented individuals.
This "facilitator," as he has been dubbed, reportedly operates from a carport situated just 500 metres from the border post.
According to officials, another facilitator was observed conversing with a migrant and exchanging cash before fleeing the scene.
BMA commissioner Michael Masiapato has stated that efforts to identify and apprehend facilitators at border posts have been significantly intensified. He explained that these facilitators typically charge undocumented foreigners between R300 and R350 to assist them in crossing the border illegally.
“What we are doing seriously now is identifying and arresting the facilitators. These individuals aren’t deported – instead, they’re taken to the police station in Musina and charged for aiding and abetting,” Masiapato said.
Speaking from the command site where the drones are being operated, Masiapato emphasised the importance of targeting the organisers of illegal crossings, rather than just the migrants themselves. “It is great to capture the groups of [undocumented] people but they are not the ones organising this [illegal crossing]. We need to get the people who organise for these people being transported into the country, the people who are pulling the ropes, like we did in Lebombo [border in Komatipoort, Mpumalanga]. We let these people cross the river and then follow them until we get to the facilitator.”
Masiapato cited a previous operation at the Lebombo border, where authorities allowed a group of undocumented migrants to enter the country before arresting them and the taxi driver who had been hired to transport them further inland.
“Even if we don’t get them all, and two or three escape, as long as we can get the facilitator, that cuts their operation much shorter,” Masiapato explained.
The arrest at Beitbridge occurred while officials were monitoring a makeshift boat carrying several passengers across the Limpopo River.
“When it comes to illegal migration at Beitbridge, this [using makeshift boats] is a common pattern. People are put into makeshift boats and ferried across the Limpopo River. We keep destroying those boats, but they keep rebuilding them," Masiapato stated.
He explained the limitations faced by authorities in intervening before migrants cross the border. “We can’t act while they’re still on the Zimbabwean side or even entering the river, but once they’re on our side, that’s when we can act and arrest them.”
Drone surveillance footage viewed by Sowetan revealed two individuals assisting a group of 15 people in reaching the South African side of the Limpopo River bank. The group subsequently dispersed, but BMA officials tracked some of them to a meeting point with another facilitator.
“Our border guards intercepted the group we saw today in the bush, and as we speak, they are being processed for deportation,” Masiapato confirmed.
Masiapato further revealed that approximately 1,000 undocumented individuals have been arrested and deported since the Tuesday leading up to the Easter holidays. “We’ve processed just about 89,000 people since Tuesday last week. Now, from yesterday [Sunday] until today, we’re officially in the return leg,” he said.
Thato Motloung, a drone operator, highlighted the crucial role of drone technology in border surveillance. “The drone is the eyes in the sky. It helps the officials know from which positions foreigners are coming from," Motloung explained.
“It has features like obstacle detection and movement detection, something you might miss with the naked eye, like someone hiding under a truck or even in the river, that’s how we detected the body of the person who was eaten by a crocodile [in the Limpopo River] on Sunday,” Motloung added, illustrating the diverse applications of the technology.
Lea Petersen, business enablement projects coordinator for Armaments Corporation of SA, lauded the impact of the technology being used by the BMA, stating that it has significantly enhanced the effectiveness of border officials and improved public behaviour.
“The drones have been used once again, it’s been so inspirational to see how the drones using artificial intelligence and providing an eye in the sky help the BMA to do targeted arrests and targeted operations,” Petersen said.
The arrest of the facilitator and the increased use of technology underscore the ongoing efforts to combat illegal immigration at South Africa's borders.
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