South Africa’s Border Management Authority (BMA) Commissioner, Michael Masiapato, raised concerns about regional cooperation. He said some neighbouring countries are not doing enough to stop illegal crossings.
South Africa shares borders with Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Eswatini, and Lesotho. These countries connect closely through trade, movement, and security concerns. However, Masiapato believes efforts to control migration remain uneven.
Concerns Ahead of the Easter Period
Masiapato spoke at the Mpumalanga border before the busy Easter holiday period. He acknowledged that some cooperation exists between South Africa and its neighbours.
However, he stressed that the level of support is not balanced. Neighbouring countries deploy fewer resources to curb illegal migration. As a result, South Africa continues to face greater pressure at its borders.
South Africa Bears the Bigger Burden
Masiapato explained that South Africa carries most of the migration impact. This situation influences how neighbouring countries respond to the issue.
He said: “We try to collaborate with them in dealing with issues of illegal migration, but they don’t do much of the deployment as we do, and I think the reason for that is because we are the ones who are highly affected in this instance.
“So it does sound concerning, just to follow up on that, that they are not as engaging given what we are seeing in terms of the immigration crisis in the country.”
Therefore, he warned that limited engagement remains a serious concern.
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