Border authority drones intercept over 6,000 illegal crossings into South Africa over Easter

IOL News

29-04-2025

Border Management Authority says it has arrested more than 6,000 undocumented immigrants trying to enter or exit South Africa illegally during Easter weekend
The Border Management Authority (BMA) has praised drone technology for helping arrest over 6,000 undocumented immigrants over the Easter weekend, with Zimbabweans leading the list of illegal entry attempts.
This was revealed in the BMA's Easter border operations report by Commissioner Dr Michael Masiapato during a media briefing on Monday at various ports of entry.
Masiapato said the operation spanned 10 days, from April 15 to April 24, and recorded an 8% increase in cross-border travel compared to the previous year.
He said they recorded about 1,057,063 movements across the country's 71 ports of entry.
Masiapato said authorities intercepted 6,253 individuals attempting to enter or exit the country illegally, a 61% increase from the 3,841 intercepted during the 2024 Easter period.
'We have been able to intercept and apprehend a total of 6,253 persons who were attempting to enter or exit South Africa illegally,' said Masiapato.
Of the 6,253 intercepted individuals, 4,795 were undocumented, 1,059 were considered "undesirables," and 403 were found to be inadmissible due to various reasons.
Masiapato said some of the inadmissible cases involved individuals with fraudulent visas or those who failed to produce a yellow fever certificate when arriving from countries affected by the disease.
South Africa shares borders with six neighbouring countries: Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Lesotho and Eswatini. Many of these are vulnerable to illegal migration, smuggling, and human trafficking.