Home Affairs' Schreiber hails use of drone technology to fight illegal immigration
The Border Management Authority (BMA) used the equipment to intercept over 2000 illegal immigrants attempting to enter South Africa during the festive season.
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber. Picture: @TheBMA_SA/X
JOHANNESBURG - Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber has hailed the use of drone technology in fighting illegal immigration to the country.
The Border Management Authority (BMA) used the equipment to intercept over 2,000 illegal immigrants attempting to enter South Africa during the festive season.
Schreiber said the technology was offered to the BMA by the Departments of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development for deployment at the Beitbridge, Maseru Bridge, Lebombo, Kopfontein and Oshoek ports of entry.
READ: Number of travellers using Lebombo port of entry decreased by 180k over festive season - BMA
Forty-two pilots were assigned and more than 2,000 breaches in the border barriers were identified.
Addressing the media on the BMA’s festive season operation outcomes, Schreiber called for drone technology to be made permanent in fighting illegal immigration.
"This led to enhanced real-time monitoring of border movement, especially in high-risk areas, real-time responses to attempted illegal crossings and smuggling activities. The use of these drones on a pilot basis at just five ports of entry led to the detection of 2,188 additional people who attempted to illegally enter our country. That is 2,188 people who would be walking amongst us right now illegally were it not for the use of this technology."