Communities Key to Borderline
Security
Media Release
15 April 2008
Mpumalanga Safety and Security
MEC Fish Mahlalela told members
of the community that their
involvement is vital in securing
borderlines of this country.
Mahlalela was speaking during
his two-day visit to communities
residing along borders to
conscientise them about the
importance of securing the
borderlines. This was part of
the National Imbizo Focus Week
Programme which took place
around the country from 7 to 13
April 2008.
Mahlalela’s meetings began in
Nkomazi Municipality at Dludluma,
Magogeni Trust and Mbuzini Trust
which are bordering Mozambique
and Swaziland respectively on
Thursday, 10 April 2008. On
Friday, 11 April 2008, the MEC
proceeded to Albert Luthuli
Municipality where a community
meeting was held at Glenmore
Community Hall.
The purpose of these meetings
was to inform communities that
South African National Defence
Force (SANDF) has been withdrawn
from the borders and that South
African Police Service (SAPS)
took over on 1 March 2008. The
borders were previously manned
by both the police and South
African National Defence.
Mobilization of communities is
expected to go a long way in
assisting government programmes
to effectively reduce
transnational crimes. Through
Izimbizo, communities were
afforded an opportunity to raise
their concerns around border
security and other safety and
security related matters.
Among other problems raised by
communities, were the shortage
of resources for the police at
borderlines and stock-theft,
counterfeits goods, drug
trafficking, vehicle smuggling,
illegal crossings and lack of
co-operation between SAPS
members based at the border and
local stations. Speaking at the
Magogeni Tribal Authority,
Mahlalela discouraged the
community from using illegal
crossings and assisting
foreigners on registrations of
children not born in this
country for the purposes of
obtaining birth certificates
which will then entitle them to
benefit from government
programmes such as Child Support
Grants.
Mahlalela told communities that
no matter how innocent their
intentions maybe when they cross
at informal crossings, there are
those who then take advantage of
them and commit crime. “Because
illegal immigrants are
undocumented, they therefore do
not appear in the population
register and if they are
involved in acts of crime, it
becomes difficult to trace them.
Communities must cross the
borders legally; by obtaining
passports and further report
those who are crossing illegally
to the police,’’ said Mahlalela.
Communities were also urged not
to collude with criminals who
may want to use informal
crossings for transferring goods
such stolen vehicles, livestock,
drugs, counterfeit goods
especially clothes, cigarettes
and alcohol. More often some of
the goods are hazardous to
people’s health, This also has a
negative impact on the economy
of this country as the products
are sold cheaper to the
detriment of South African
Business community. In the long
run the government is also
affected because South African
Revenue Service’s efforts to
collect tax are negatively
affected and government’s
ability to deliver quality
services to South Africans are
then compromised. The MEC also
encouraged the SAPS to recruit
as many reservists as they can
to strengthen their capacity to
fight crime.
The MEC further noted that there
is no co-ordination between
various police stations near the
border with SAPS Borderlines
teams. “All stakeholders must be
conscientised that it cannot be
the responsibility of the police
alone to secure our ports of
entries and borderlines. Border
security must be holistically
approached and communities must
also know who to communicate
regarding any borderline
challenges,” Mahlalela
concluded.
Issued by Communication
Section, Mpumalanga Provincial
Government, Department of Safety
and Security
Enquiries: Joseph Mabuza at 013
766 4055 / 082 678 1450
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