Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has said South Africa’s security agents have been arresting over 500 undocumented travellers daily for trying to enter the country illegally at its northern Beitbridge border post.
Speaking after visiting the northern Beitbridge border with Zimbabwe at the weekend, Motsoaledi said the illegal migrants are deported soon after arrest.
“The army has been arresting more than 500 travellers every day. They arrest them right at the border – and then send them back immediately.”
According to the minister, a South African Police Service boat has been deployed along the Limpopo River that divides the two countries’ border to stop the undocumented travellers from Zimbabwe and other neighbouring countries from crossing the river using canoes.
On Monday, the army started deploying helicopters and drones to patrol the crocodile-infested Limpopo River to complement police work during patrols, he said.
With these added measures, Motsoaledi said he expected to see more arrests at Beitbridge as some undocumented foreign nationals continued to return to their South African base following end of festivities in their home countries.
Apart from the illegal entries, the South African authorities also said they have confiscated dozens of fake Covid-19 certificates in the past week that some travellers carried as part of their travel dockets at the border post.
NM/jn/APA