The Border Management Authority (BMA) intercepted more than 1 000 undocumented migrants attempting to cross into South Africa at the Beitbridge border post over the Easter holiday.
Drone Surveillance Boosts Border Patrols
According to Eyewitness News, BMA commissioner Michael Masiapato said that the use of high-tech drones, recently deployed to monitor illegal border activity, enabled officials to make the arrests.
The drones, introduced earlier this month by the BMA in partnership with the Department of Home Affairs, form part of an effort to strengthen border security.
“In just the past four days, we intercepted over 1 000 people thanks to these drones,” said Masiapato.
“Policing borders without this technology has always been a costly task. Now, we’re able to act more effectively and with greater precision.”
Targeting River Crossings Along the Limpopo
Masiapato explained how the drones are being used to monitor the Limpopo River area, a hotspot for illegal crossings between Zimbabwe and South Africa.
He said drone operators are able to detect when people are placed in makeshift boats to cross the river and then relay coordinates in real-time to BMA ground teams.
“What we do is allow them to come through, and as they cross. We send the coordinates to our border guards, who can then intercept them directly,” he said.
Focus on Smuggling Facilitators
The BMA has also shifted its focus toward arresting individuals who facilitate illegal crossings.
Masiapato said identifying and prosecuting these facilitators is key to disrupting smuggling networks operating along South Africa’s borders.
Modernising Border Security
The drone programme forms part of a broader strategy to modernise border security and reduce illegal migration.
Authorities believe these targeted, tech-assisted operations are crucial to managing South Africa’s porous borders more effectively.
Do you think high-tech surveillance is the right solution to stop illegal border crossings at South Africa’s borders?
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