Latest news with #BorderManagementAuthority
The Citizen
a day ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Home Affairs raises alarm over border authority underfunding
The funding crisis is forcing the BMA to adopt a "do more with less" approach, limiting its capacity to address border security challenges. Picture for illustrations purposes. Border Management Authority (BMA) guards at the Beit Bridge port of entry in Limpopo. Picture: GCIS The portfolio committee on Home Affairs has raised serious concerns about the continued underfunding of the Border Management Authority (BMA), warning that financial constraints are severely hampering the organisation's ability to fulfil its mandate and implement crucial cybersecurity measures. The BMA faces critical funding shortfalls that are hampering its ability to secure South Africa's borders and combat corruption, with the agency receiving only 30% of its requested operational budget. During a parliamentary meeting on Tuesday with the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and the Border Management Authority to review revised annual and strategic plans for the 2025-26 financial year, committee members raised serious concerns over what they described as systemic funding shortfalls that pose significant security risks to South Africa's border operations. BMA Chief Financial Officer Zamachonco Chonco revealed that the BMA had requested R500 million for capital funding but received only R150 million. 'We do appreciate it we're not saying we we're not saying this by way of lack of appreciation for what we got but we are saying it's still far short taking us where we have to be in terms of you know delivering on the mandate of the BMA,' Deputy Commissioner Mabjoalo Jane Thupana told the committee. The funding crisis is forcing the authority to adopt a 'do more with less' approach, significantly limiting its capacity to address border security challenges and implement critical anti-corruption measures. Cybersecurity and staff integrity concerns The committee highlighted that the authority's cybersecurity roadmap remains completely unfunded, creating potentially dangerous vulnerabilities in border security systems. Equally concerning is the BMA's inability to conduct lifestyle audits for all employees due to budget constraints, a situation the committee views as particularly problematic given the sensitive nature of border operations. Committee chairperson Mosa Chabane emphasised the critical importance of regular integrity checks within the border environment. The committee had previously stressed the necessity of frequent lifestyle audits as essential tools for maintaining ethical standards at ports of entry and preventing corruption and fraudulent activities. Thupana disclosed that conducting lifestyle audits for just 100 employees would cost R9 million, meaning auditing all BMA employees would require nearly a quarter of a billion rand. 'We continue to work hard. This is one of the projects where we are saying we just needed to inform members that we don't have money for this at the moment, but we are prioritising it. Any money that becomes available for the BMA, we will be able to do that,' Thupana explained. The commissioner emphasised that more than 90% of BMA employees are frontline officers, including border guards, specialised immigration officers, and law enforcement personnel, as well as back-office staff in supply chain management, who all need to be subjected to these audits. Digital transformation leadership gap The committee has intensified pressure on the Department of Home Affairs to expedite the appointment of a Deputy Director-General for ICT, describing this position as fundamental to driving the department's digital transformation initiatives effectively. 'Digital transformation of the DHA has been identified as a critical pillar of the strategic plan, and having a dedicated leader will ensure close focus, especially in the context of complexities and cybersecurity risks within the environment. While the committee acknowledged the secondment of an ICT official from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, the intervention is not permanent,' Chabane stated. Progress on digitisation despite challenges The committee acknowledged positive developments in the department's ongoing digitisation of paper-based records, an initiative launched during the previous administration under former Minister Aaron Motsoaledi. However, members urged the department to secure additional funding to enhance the digitisation process and ensure it delivers expected outcomes. Chabane noted that persistent problems with lengthy queues and frequent system downtimes require dedicated expertise within the ICT sector to develop innovative solutions. The committee emphasised that recent government announcements allowing departments to procure IT services from private providers necessitate high-quality service delivery to the public. ALSO READ: Big changes coming for ID, passport applications and birth registrations – Home Affairs BMA deployment falls short of targets The BMA's ambitious plans to strengthen border security through increased personnel deployment have also been derailed by funding constraints. The authority currently has 600 border guards and had planned to increase this number by 200 annually, reaching 2,200 by 2032. However, this conservative target remains far below the 10 000 border guards proposed in the original roadmap. Thupana acknowledged that even the modest annual increase of 200 guards 'is also not materialising' due to budget limitations. The authority is pinning hopes on technology to multiply the effectiveness of its limited human resources through the use of drones, underground sensors, and other international border monitoring technologies. Integration challenges persist Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber highlighted another critical issue hampering the BMA's effectiveness: the incomplete integration of the South African Police Service's border policing function. Schreiber revealed that while he has completed his part of the process, the final step of establishing the BMA remains with Saps. 'We are all working and operating in this committee as if the process of establishing the BMA is concluded, but it is quite a serious issue that the Saps part of that has not been concluded,' the minister stated. He confirmed ongoing engagement with the police minister to resolve this urgent matter, noting that a 'large number of officers' could be integrated into the BMA once the process is completed. ALSO READ: BMA officials intercept stolen motorbike, cellphones and cars at Kosi Bay Operational constraints and creative solutions The funding shortage has forced the BMA to explore creative solutions to maintain operations. Thupana outlined a multi-skilling programme where officials are trained across different areas, allowing biosecurity inspectors to also handle environmental products and other related functions. The authority has also begun collaborating with municipalities, starting with the City of Cape Town, to share capacity and relieve pressure at ports of entry. These partnerships aim to better utilise available resources for improved port functioning. Despite these efforts, basic operational needs remain unmet. The limited capital funding can only be used for operational equipment such as drones, speed boats for coastal guard operations, vehicles, and other specialised border management equipment. ALSO READ: WATCH: BMA intercepts and detains over 6 000 people trying to enter or leave SA illegally Smart ID rollout faces implementation challenges The committee also heard about ongoing challenges with the smart ID rollout, which the minister described as critical for combating identity fraud. With an estimated 18 million green ID books still in circulation, Schreiber cited research showing that smart IDs are 500% less prone to fraud than green ID books. 'There was a report out earlier this year that found the smart ID is 500% less prone to fraud than the green ID book and that the green ID book in fact has a fraud rate of 34% according to these researchers, which makes it the most defrauded one in Africa,' Schreiber revealed. The department is exploring various mechanisms to expand smart ID access, including smartphone applications, partnerships with banks, kiosks, and mobile units, with the ultimate goal of ceasing green ID book production. ALSO READ: Schreiber explains persistent ICT failures plaguing home affairs offices Branding and infrastructure needs Thupana also addressed the importance of proper branding and signage at ports of entry. She noted that poor signage facilitates corruption by allowing people to deliberately get lost or enabling officials to misdirect travellers to meet them in isolated areas. 'When there is proper signage, people know where to go, [and] it also facilitates movement, people are not lost wasting their time not sure where to find what they are looking for,' Thupana explained. She further emphasised that improved branding serves efficiency and helps combat criminal activities within port premises. Budget transfers still pending The committee learned that some departmental functions transferred to the BMA came without corresponding budget allocations. The BMA's chief financial officer is still engaging with various departments to secure budget transfers for items such as lease agreements for properties housing nearly 400 employees across different ports. 'When some departments identified budgets to be transferred, they focused on the budgets for compensation of employees and maybe just some assets like their laptops, tools and the desks they're sitting on. But the budgets that were centralised were not within where ports were located in the departments, but within facilities somewhere; this budget was not extracted to be transferred to the BMA,' Thupana explained. ALSO READ: 20 vehicles recovered at Kosi Bay border; latest incident linked to insurance fraud Counter-corruption unit success The committee praised the effectiveness of the department's counter-corruption unit and called for continued adequate funding to support its operations. Members highlighted the unit's significant impact in combating fraud and corruption within departmental operations, as well as its role in protecting the integrity of the country's documentation systems. 'The major headway the unit has made in breaking racket that fraudulently sells the department's documents must be protected and promoted. The unit must be properly resourced, both in human capacity and technological tools of trade,' Chabane stressed. READ NEXT: Home Affairs launches Operation New Broom to tackle illegal immigration
The South African
3 days ago
- Business
- The South African
South Africa's new digital visa system to launch in September
Minister of Home Affairs Leon Schreiber has announced that South Africa will roll out its fully digital Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system for short-term tourist visas by the end of September. As reported by Tourism Update , the digital visa system will initially cover visits under 90 days and will be a key part of the government's broader effort to digitise visa processing and border entry. The system will be managed by the Border Management Authority and will be launched at major international airports, with plans to eventually expand it to all visa categories. Powered by artificial intelligence, the ETA system promises to deliver faster turnaround times and stronger security. 'The ETA will include world-class cybersecurity systems and live monitoring by AI-powered risk engines,' Schreiber said, as per Tourism Update. Schreiber also confirmed that the list of eligible nationalities would be announced at the time of the official launch. 'It would be premature to discuss the finer details as this will all be revealed at the go-live launch in September,' he also added. A recent live demonstration of the system for President Ramaphosa reportedly ran without issues, and final testing is underway ahead of the launch. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Citizen
13-06-2025
- Health
- The Citizen
Foot-and-mouth disease outbreak: Cabinet backs swift response, vaccine rollout begins
Cabinet has welcomed the swift response by the Department of Agriculture following an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) that has mostly affected KZN, Mpumalanga and Gauteng. 'Despite the warnings that were issued, FMD was imported into Gauteng as people continued to move livestock to the province of Gauteng,' Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said yesterday in Cape Town. The department has ordered more than 900 000 doses of vaccines, with the first batch expected to arrive soon. 'All infected properties are placed under quarantine. No movement is allowed into, out of, or through these areas or farms. 'Large areas, where individuals cannot be served with quarantine notices, are declared Disease Management Areas, and the same restrictions apply. 'In addition, plans are underway to establish a biosecurity council that will bring together the South African Police Service, veterinarians, scientists, the Border Management Authority and captains of industry to better respond to future outbreaks and manage the related risks,' Ntshavheni said. She was addressing the media on the outcomes of the Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday. – Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Daily Maverick
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
Borders signal the edge of a nation, they must never be the edge of the law
The management of borders represents a critical point where state authority meets human rights and national security concerns. Borders in both the United States and South Africa serve as enforcement areas that test constitutional law boundaries and state authority limits through ethical governance challenges. Despite the existence of strong constitutional frameworks, borders often emerge as zones where power is exercised with minimal oversight and have increasingly become the subject of heated debates under the pressure of opposing interests. Judicial mechanisms offer post-facto challenges to abuse, but don't deter injustice from occurring before any intervention takes place. At stake are not only questions of territorial control, but fundamental civil liberties. While judicial mechanisms exist to challenge abuse, their retrospective nature means infringement is effected before remedy is available. A meaningful solution requires proactive legal training, deeper transparency and a strong culture of accountability. South Africa: consolidation with broad powers The formal establishment in April 2023 of the Border Management Authority (BMA) marked a significant structural shift in South Africa's border enforcement as envisioned in terms of the Border Management Authority Act, 2020. The launch of the BMA aimed to unify fragmented tasks within immigration, customs and security functions as a bold step towards operational efficiency. However, with consolidation comes concentration of power and, arguably, insufficient legal guardrails are in place. Current training of South African border agents appears to place overwhelming emphasis on security protocols, logistics and document verification. Detailed information about the standard training for officials has not yet been publicly documented. At the front lines, however, critical dimensions such as constitutional rights, international refugee protections and administrative justice remain underdeveloped or entirely absent. This knowledge gap opens the door for discretionary overreach. Border agents routinely make major impactful decisions, often without sufficient legal grounding. While the Constitution guarantees rights to both citizens and non-citizens, the implementation at borders of those rights remains inconsistent. Legal training should be a vanguard defence against such inconsistency, focusing not only on the technicalities of immigration law but also on values such as proportionality, rationality and dignity, all central to South Africa's constitutional vision. A training curriculum that includes real-world case studies and evolving jurisprudence would provide border officials with the legal literacy necessary to act effectively and lawfully. Borders are not lawless zones South African jurisprudence offers strong guidance. The Supreme Court of Appeal determined in Minister of Home Affairs v Watchenuka (2004) that constitutional rights apply to non-citizens and invalidated the idea that state power at borders escapes constitutional oversight. The Constitutional Court's decision in Dawood v Minister of Home Affairs (2000) established the necessity for defined guidelines to limit discretionary immigration actions while affirming that arbitrary decisions stand in opposition to constitutional principles of governance. In Gaertner and Others v Minister of Finance (2014), the court struck down provisions permitting customs officials to conduct warrantless property searches. While emphasising judicial oversight and opposing unchecked surveillance at borders, the court reinforced that, even at the border, constitutional safeguards must apply. Collectively, these cases make clear that South African borders are not constitutional vacuums. They are spaces where state interest and individual rights must be carefully balanced, a principle that must be embedded in policy, training and enforcement alike. The US: oversight in theory, discretion in practice US border agents carry out their duties under the Fourth Amendment's 'border search exception', which permits searches at international borders without warrants. While initially designed for luggage and customs inspections, the doctrine has expanded to include searches of electronic devices, sparking privacy concerns. In United States v Cotterman (2013), the Ninth Circuit introduced a distinction between 'basic' and 'forensic' device searches, requiring reasonable suspicion for the latter. This case was critical in defining the legal thresholds for state intrusion into digital privacy. Yet, reasonable suspicion, a circumstantial belief based on specific facts, remains a vague and flexible standard. Oversight mechanisms, while present, often fail to prevent real-world overreach. On paper, the US legal framework provides stronger judicial review than in many jurisdictions. The Fourth Amendment, the exclusionary rule and civil rights litigation offer meaningful remedies. But these mechanisms are largely retrospective. They rely on the injured party to challenge misconduct after it has already occurred, a process few travellers are equipped to initiate. Even with oversight, systemic issues such as racial profiling, device confiscation and prolonged detentions persist. Lessons from Cato's Letters Cato's Letters, a series of 18th-century essays written by Trenchard and Gordon, warned eloquently of the dangers of unaccountable power. Their call for liberty, limited government and the rule of law echoes loudly in today's border enforcement regimes. They warned that unchecked authority, even in the name of security, leads inevitably to oppression and abuse. Their defence of transparency, legal constraint and civic vigilance remains a powerful lens through which to evaluate modern border agencies. Whether it is US Customs and Border Protection or South Africa's BMA, concentrated authority without immediate oversight fosters environments where individual rights are routinely subordinated to institutional convenience or, even worse, ignorance. Technology is not a silver bullet In the US, billions have been spent on advanced border technologies: facial recognition, drone surveillance, biometric scanning and AI-powered analytics. These tools increase efficiency, but also amplify state power, and raise serious concerns about surveillance overreach and algorithmic bias. South Africa, while historically underresourced in this domain, is catching up. Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber has recently emphasised the digitisation of border processes and initiated a drone surveillance programme aimed at improving security along hard-to-patrol land borders. These innovations are promising, but require legal frameworks and ethical training to ensure that they enhance, not undermine, accountability. Technology alone cannot substitute for legal safeguards, ethical enforcement and public scrutiny. Without strong norms and oversight, technology simply makes it easier to abuse power faster and more efficiently. South Africa's systemic challenges Corruption remains a long-standing problem in South Africa's border management system. With a land border network spanning more than 4,700km, complex challenges in border management, surveillance and cross-border movement are common. Beit Bridge and Lebombo, the two busiest land border posts by movement of both people and goods, have gained notoriety for their involvement in bribery schemes, fostering illegal and fraudulent migration, and smuggling operations. Yet, these incidents are not exclusive to those posts. Both law enforcement operations and public trust in government institutions suffer from these prevailing situations. While integration under the BMA may help streamline accountability, corruption is a human problem, solved not by structure alone but through culture, leadership and training. The US, too, has struggled with ethical lapses in border enforcement, including documented abuses during the Trump administration involving family separations, inadequate detention conditions and racially biased screening practices. In both countries, external accountability mechanisms – including independent oversight bodies, public reporting and whistle-blower protections – are essential to preventing and addressing misconduct. Training is the real infrastructure Perhaps the clearest point of divergence between the US and South Africa lies in training systems. In the US, border agents attend standardised courses at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers covering constitutional law, immigration enforcement and ethical decision-making. By contrast, in South Africa training has been historically fragmented. The establishment of the BMA has offered an opportunity to establish standardised, law-based training that integrates legal, technical and ethical components. Given the BMA's expanded scope, this is not optional; it should be critical. A border agent without sufficient legal literacy is not just a weak link in enforcement but a risk to the rights of every traveller, migrant or citizen they encounter. Too often abuse is reported and remains unchecked. The human element in reform Ultimately, border enforcement is about people, those enforcing the law and those subject to it. The most sophisticated policy or technology will fail if the individuals tasked with implementation are poorly trained, poorly supervised or poorly supported. Ethics, empathy and law must inform every aspect of border interaction. Both the US and South Africa must invest not only in infrastructure but in human capital. Agents must be trained to understand not only how to detect threats, but how to respect rights. Performance metrics should include not just seizures or interdictions, but fair treatment, procedural integrity and respect for dignity. The front lines of democracy and eternal vigilance Border zones are not places outside the law. They are 'stress tests' for democracy and constitutionalism. In South Africa and the United States alike, the challenge is not whether the state can exercise power at the border, but how that power is constrained, overseen and made just. Legal training, transparency and accountability are not luxuries; they are the foundation of legitimate enforcement. As Cato's Letters reminds us, liberty depends not only on institutions but on 'eternal vigilance'. DM
Eyewitness News
10-06-2025
- Business
- Eyewitness News
25 interns from WC govt initiative deployed to CTIA to assist with BMA operations
CAPE TOWN - Border Management Authority (BMA) operations at the Cape Town International Airport (CTIA) have received a boost with the deployment of 25 interns from a Western Cape government internship initiative. The First Work Experience- Premier's Advancement of Youth (PAY) is designed to provide matriculants with work experience and skills development. The CTIA is one of South Africa's busiest ports of entry.
