Deporting foreign nationals who live in South Africa illegally has cost the country’s taxpayers some US$333 million in the past five years, APA learnt on Monday.
To stem the problem of illegal entries into the country, the government has also spent over $533 million to beef up the security of its ports of entry at various border posts during this period, according to Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi.
The ministry is currently considering the deployment of additional personnel at border posts as part of the security plan for the festive season, a period that brings in undocumented foreign nationals into the country.
The ministry is now pinning its hopes on the new Border Management Authority Bill to address some of the challenges at its numerous border posts with its neighbours who stride the continent from the Indian Ocean in the northeast to the Atlantic Ocean on the north west of the country.
“The Border Management Authority (BMA) Project Management Team has been busy finalising the technical work acquired to establish the border management authority strengthen our borders.
“I have directed them to focus their initial efforts in strengthening the border lines between South Africa (in Limpopo Province) and Zimbabwe, and South Africa (in Mpumalanga and in KwaZulu Natal Provinces) and Mozambique,” the minister said.
Most of these deportees come from neighbouring Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, and Mozambique, Zambian and Malawi, according to reports.
NM/jn/APA