2025 completion date for cross-border crime prevention barrier

AFTER numerous delays since its inception in 2018, the Jersey barrier project to curb cross-border crime between South Africa and Mozambique now has a 2025 completion date.

This was announced last week by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport.

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This after the department was earlier this year tasked with fast-tracking the project in urgent efforts to halt the smuggling of hijacked and stolen vehicles from South Africa into Mozambique via Manguzi.

Transport MEC Siboniso Duma on Wednesday said progress had been made on the project.

“A new contractor was appointed after the previous one defaulted on his contractual obligation and the department had no option but to terminate the contract,” said Duma.

“There is great progress and we should be done, if everything goes accordingly, by next year. We are projecting the completion in the next few months.”

Duma added that handling the project was one of his aims of his first 100 days in office.

The 25km operation to construct the barrier is being implemented in three phases; an 8km barrier from gate 6, moving west towards Tembe Elephant Park; another 8km from the boundary of iSimangaliso Wetland Park moving to the west; and the last phase will be a 9km stretch extending from the western boundary of Tembe Elephant Park towards the Pongola River.

More than 7km of barrier has to date been erected as part of the first 8km phase and is set to be completed by December.
Despite delays, Duma said the project had already begun yielding positive results.

“We have been able to limit the exporting of stolen cars and other goods through KZN to Mozambique. Last year alone, 30 stolen vehicles a month crossed into Mozambique. This number has been reduced,” he said.

Duma said securing this border, identified as ‘high risk’, was important as uMkhanyakude District, under which the border falls, attracts many tourists and investment.

“There is the SA free-trade zone in place because there is serious trade taking place in that area, so we’ve identified the need to protect this area,” he said.

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