They will be discussing the challenges facing operations at the Beitbridge border post, located outside Musina, in the Limpopo province.
The committee is conducting an oversight visit to assess security and management along the country’s northern border with Zimbabwe. On Wednesday, members toured several points along the Limpopo River, where illegal migration, vehicle smuggling and cross-border trafficking of illicit goods remain persistent problems.
Committee Chairperson Malusi Gigaba said the delegation’s visit had revealed major operational constraints, primarily linked to inadequate funding for the SANDF’s border patrol units.
“We will obviously write our report to Parliament and raise these issues with the department as well as the SANDF,” Gigaba said. “One of the biggest challenges we are facing in this regard is the fact that the SANDF is severely underfunded.”
Gigaba said the committee would recommend that the National Treasury allocate additional resources to strengthen border security and ensure that defence forces are adequately equipped to monitor high-risk crossing points.
The Beitbridge border post is one of the busiest land ports in Southern Africa, serving as a key trade and migration gateway between SA and the rest of the continent. However, it has also become a hotspot for illegal crossings, human trafficking and the movement of stolen vehicles and contraband goods.
–SABC/ChannelAfrica–
