Border Management Authority commissioner Dr Michael Masiapato unveiled the 2025/26 festive season operational plan.
The Border Management Authority (BMA) has prioritised a well-resourced border management system that hinges on technology-driven tools.
This comes as SA continues to face challenges with illegal immigration, sophisticated cross-border crime and smuggling of illicit goods at its borders, among other issues.
Briefing media yesterday about the 2025/26 festive season operational plan, BMA commissioner Dr Michael Masiapato explained that the December/January season remains characterised by an increase in traveller volumes, which place “significant” pressures on ports of entry.
Acknowledging the authority operates at 25% capacity, Masiapato revealed it has secured partnerships with several stakeholders, including the provincial governments of Gauteng and the Western Cape, the Department of Tourism, as well as the Department of Social Development.
The BMA has also partnered technology companies − including DCD Protected Mobility, Aselsan South Africa and Unipro Protective Wear − that will assist in rolling out a suite of surveillance and protective technology, said the commissioner.
“Drones and body cams will be fully operational to improve our detection capability and also address possible corruption from our team members.”
Established under the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), the BMA is responsible for border law enforcement at all 71 ports of entry, facilitating and managing immigration, agriculture and environmental biosecurity, port health and general border law enforcement.
South Africa shares borders with six other Southern African nations: Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
The busiest land ports of entry include Beitbridge (Zimbabwe), Lebombo (Mozambique), Maseru Bridge (Lesotho), Ficksburg (Lesotho), Kopfontein (Botswana) and Oshoek (Eswatini).
To ease congestion at key ports, Masiapato said the BMA has also partnered with TRAC and Sanral to strengthen traffic flow management at the busy Lebombo port of entry.
Additional ICT technicians will be deployed at prioritised ports, to support the movement control system. “In this regard, additional remote support of ICT work will be provided for by colleagues from SARS, technicians, as well as teams from the DHA.”
Masiapato said SA also had discussions with neighbouring countries – Lesotho, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Namibia, eSwatini and Botswana – to streamline cross-border operations.
“As a result, we have agreed to adjust operating hours at some of the key ports which do not operate on a 24-hour basis.”
The plan will run from 10 December to 15 January 2026, split into a departure period (10 – 31 December) and a return period (1 – 15 January).
“We will be intensifying our measures to detect and seize narcotics, illicit goods and even stolen vehicles. We want to warn all travellers to desist from committing any act of criminality around the ports or even in the border law enforcement areas as they will be detected and arrested.”
