The measures are aimed at strengthening traveller verification and law enforcement at the country’s ports of entry.

The initiative forms part of the BMA’s broader strategy to reinforce border security operations across four key sectors; immigration, agriculture, health and the environment.

BMA Commissioner, Dr Mike Masiapato, said one of the critical areas being addressed is the longstanding abuse of immigration stamps.

“The first thing that I can just indicate is around the immigration stamps. So that is one area that has been seriously vulnerable and seriously abused,” Masiapato said. “On that basis, we have introduced highly secure and sophisticated stamps, which we started using from Friday.”

He added that measures are also being introduced to improve processes related to the movement of mortal remains across SA’s borders, an area the authority says requires tighter regulation.

“We will also reflect on the challenges that we have been observing for all this while,” Masiapato noted.

The BMA says these interventions are designed to bolster its capacity to manage border-related risks more effectively.

–ChannelAfrica–