Home affairs committee vows to support BMA to get extra funding to secure SA's borders

CAPE TOWN - Parliament's home affairs committee says it will work hard to support the Border Management Authority (BMA) to get much-needed extra funding to secure the country’s borders.

Committee chairperson Mosa Chabane said that South Africa's porous borders were well-known and the BMA's work would be in vain if the authority was not adequately resourced.

At a media briefing at Parliament on Tuesday, Chabane applauded the BMA's festive season operations.

Since its inception in 2022, the authority has intercepted around half a million people who have tried to sneak their way into the country.

The Border Management Authority has received at least R150 million from the criminal asset recovery account.

This is money confiscated by the state from illicit dealings.

Chabane said that the recent unrest in Mozambique had demonstrated the importance of the BMA's work. 

"Its mandate is going to be tempered if there's no more funding, including the staff complement and also the field guards on the border line."

Chabane said that the country's poor border fencing, which is the responsibility of public works, was also problematic.

"We can't establish an institution like the Border Management Authority as a result of the porous borders, and we don't fund it to completely run its function."

Chabane said the committee would support the department in its business case to Treasury for more funding.