The South African Border Management Authority (BMA) intercepted 8 135 illegal entry attempts during its festive season crackdown, Commissioner Dr Michael Masiapato revealed on Monday. Launching the BMA’s Festive Season Operational Plan, Masiapato said the authority’s expanded use of surveillance tools, including drones and body cameras, has strengthened border control across the country.
“Drones and body cams will be fully operational to improve our detection capability and also address possible corruption from our team members,” Masiapato said.
He revealed major interceptions across South Africa’s ports of entry, ranging from undocumented migrants to drugs, counterfeit goods, and fraudulent travel documents. “With the help of surveillance technology, mainly drones, about 8 135 apprehensions were affected across various ports of entry in the last quarter,” he said.
Of those intercepted, 4 092 were undocumented foreign nationals, 2 061 were inadmissible, and 1 982 were classified as undesirables. The majority hailed from Lesotho, followed by Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Eswatini, reflecting longstanding regional migration patterns.
Masiapato also highlighted a sharp rise in counterfeit clothing and footwear entering the country. “In the second quarter, 1 700 kg of counterfeit clothing and footwear, valued at R1 280 645, were intercepted. The incremental value of counterfeit clothing intercepted is about R220 million.”
Illicit cigarette smuggling remains a significant concern, he said, and around 40 fraudulent travel documents were confiscated, mostly at OR Tambo and Cape Town International Airports, as well as the Vioolsdrift port of entry.
Since deploying its first Border Guard contingent in July 2022, the BMA has prevented over half a million illegal entry attempts. “Incrementally, the Border Guards have been able to stop about 505,065 individuals from entering the country illegally,” Masiapato said.