BMA doesn't have adequate capacity to protect SA’s ports of entry

CAPE TOWN - Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said that the Border Management Agency (BMA) did not have adequate capacity to protect the country’s ports of entry.

Schreiber said this was the impact the underfunding by the National Treasury has had on the agency, which requires at least another 8,000 employees to fulfil its mandate.

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Schreiber was responding to questions from MPs in the National Assembly as part of the peace and security cluster.

The Border Management Agency was established to protect the country’s borders and involves several departments.

But Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber told the National Assembly that it was still far from being able to fulfil its mandate thanks to budgetary constraints.

"The BMA has a staff complement currently of about 2,700 but it needs around 11,000 personnel as per the approved structure. The BMA does not have adequate personnel right now to do port and field law enforcement and this affects the ability of the institution to deter and detect transgressions."

He said the impact of underfunding could also be felt through infrastructure in the ports by things like the absence of inspection facilities.

"The unavailability of security cameras, in some cases, along the border and the corridor towards the border post makes it difficult to manage the port environment effectively and efficiently," said Schreiber.

Schreiber said they’re now engaging National Treasury so underfunding of the agency is addressed and will present three business cases for more funds.