Lowvelder’s sister newspaper Corridor Gazette reported on April 14 that hundreds of residents of eSwatini (formerly Swaziland) and Nkomazi cross the border illegally, placing great financial strain on Nkomazi Local Municipality.
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Cyril Ripinga, the municipal spokesperson, said the illegal crossing of residents from eSwatini causes a headache. “We do not have the budget to service the hundreds of thousands of people who now live in Nkomazi.”
The SANDF said it is aware of the problem, but is unable to guard the border. “Yes, the SANDF is aware of the informal borderline crossing at Magudu in Nkomazi,” said Brig Gen Mafi Mgobozi, spokesperson for the Department of Defence (DoD). “There is no permanent deployment at the Magudu position, but ad hoc deployments are conducted to patrol these areas per the situational analysis.
“Due to a range of issues including continuous budget reductions in the main, the SANDF is unable to meet its required responsibility of guarding the borderline.”
Mgobozi said the safeguarding of this border is the joint responsibility of the SANDF and the Department of Home Affairs (DHA).
“The SANDF is mandated to conduct border safeguarding of the borderline between the RSA and the neighbouring countries. However, to ensure the integrity of the borderlines as well as prevention of illegal migration and unauthorised cross-border movement is a joint interdepartmental and inter-agency responsibility.
“The DHA, as the custodian of the management and administration of cross-border movement, is well aware of the existence of these informal crossing points on the borderline, outside of the formal ports of entry. The DHA has, over the past few years, been having consultative sessions with communities on the borderline areas, including municipal officials, to find solutions to this historical challenge.”
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The spokesperson for the DHA, Siyabulela Qoza, said the issue of border security is the jurisdiction of the SANDF. “The DHA is responsible for the ports of entry like Lebombo, Jeppe’s Reef and Mananga, but not for the security of the border. That would be the SANDF.”
