Law enforcement at SA's Lebombo border post beefed up following civil unrest in Mozambique
As protest action by Mozambican nationals looks set to intensify on Thursday, due to allegations of election rigging, South African authorities remain on high alert at the Lebombo border post in Mpumalanga.
Border Management Authority officials monitor the the Lebombo border post following unrest on the Mozambican side of the border on 6 November 2024. Picture: Jacques Nelles/EWN
LEBOMBO - Law enforcement at the Lebombo border post in Mpumalanga has been beefed up following civil unrest in Mozambique.
Earlier on Wednesday, public order police fired rubber bullets and set off stun grenades at a group of unruly Mozambicans at the Lebombo border post.
Police and Border Management Authority (BMA) officials will continue to monitor the situation overnight.
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As protest action by Mozambican nationals looks set to intensify on Thursday, due to allegations of election rigging, South African authorities remain on high alert at the Lebombo border post in Mpumalanga.
BMA Commissioner Michael Madiapato said the Mozambican government had deployed the army.
"We had a long engagement with the Mozambican counterpart during this afternoon and they confirmed that the government has deployed the military with a view to stablise the situation. So, on that basis, they did confirm that the situation is relatively stable, not fully stable but relatively stable."
Thursday will mark one week since widespread unrest erupted in Mozambique following the 24 October announcement of their presidential election results.
Allegations of voter rigging in favour of the ruling FRELIMO party surfaced not long after the result announcement, sparking a nationwide outcry.