SA’s border management authority: Solution or a problem in disguise?

The establishment of the Border Management Authority (BMA) – officially launched last week –has left many experts, South Africans and opposition parties with mixed emotions because the initiative seems like another potential opportunity for corruption.

President Cyril Ramaphosa and Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi officially launched the BMA in Musina, Limpopo, last week.

In his newsletter yesterday, Ramaphosa said the authority was necessary for maintaining the integrity of the country’s borders because the challenges faced on the borders were both historical and contemporary.

“The apartheid regime flagrantly disregarded the sovereignty of neighbouring countries to conduct illegal cross-border raids,” he said.

“It abused immigration measures to harass its opponents and enforced hated policies like influx control and the exploitation of labour from the region.”

Political analyst Arthur Shopola said a border management authority was a good initiative and something “we should all support”.

“The president correctly said it was established to deal with an illicit flow of things from other countries and also illegal immigration,” Shopola said.

“But I think a proper diagnosis ought to be done here because we are where we are today, with this BMA, because of the humanitarian negligence by politicians who are in charge of public administrations in the African countries. That’s why you have people flocking into South Africa.

READ: ANC’s border plan makes SA look pathetic and doesn’t solve the issue

“That is why you have South Africans responding in the manner they are doing, but I’m hoping the president will use this BMA platform to engage with the heads of state on the continent.”

He said even though the country might have a strong system like the BMA, “these people will always find a way to enter into South Africa”.

And “the BMA, even if it is strengthened, it will not defeat the issue of corruption”.

A Put South Africans First movement member, Gopolang Kgaele, said just like any other failed initiative, this one also ran the risk of consolidating corruption and ineffectiveness at the borders.

He argued the BMA would add an extra load to an already overwhelmed home affairs system due to the lack of resources, infrastructure and the challenges the department was already facing.

READ: Ramaphosa: illegal immigration ‘exacerbated many of SA’s social and economic problems’

Kgaele said the BMA was not a solid plan, especially with its many loopholes which made the technicalities faulty.

“Let’s be honest, everything we’ve touched since the inception of democracy we have ruined.

“Border control has always been managed by one entity that allows other entities to do as they should and report back.

“This one is already complicated. And, trust me, by the time you want answers for the influx of illegal immigrants, people will start pointing figures and refusing to be held accountable. That’s how it has always happened.

“Some policies and strategies should not have been changed; the change was not worth it. Even a five year old can see.”

According to Ramaphosa, the BMA has the responsibility of enforcing the nation’s immigration laws and ensuring the security of borders and effective management of entry points.

This new authority now stands as South Africa’s third armed service, following the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and the South African Police Service (Saps).

He said while they would handle tasks related to border law enforcement, such as access control, it’s important to note that the SANDF still holds the responsibility for overall border protection and safeguarding.

The BMA will also take over the functions of several other government departments and agencies and has already started collaborating with the South African Revenue Service, Saps and SANDF to integrate various aspects of border management.