‘Understaffed and underfunded’: Border Management Agency struggles to secure SA’s ports

Home Affairs

Cape Town – Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber has revealed that the Border Management Agency (BMA) is inadequately staffed and underfunded, impairing its ability to secure South Africa’s ports of entry.

Currently, the BMA employs approximately 2,700 personnel but requires around 11,000 to effectively fulfill its mandate.

This shortfall, attributed to insufficient funding from the National Treasury, also affects port infrastructure, including the lack of inspection facilities and security cameras, the minister said, according to EWN.

Schreiber said this while addressing MPs’ questions in the National Assembly during discussions related to the peace and security portfolio on Tuesday.

“The unavailability of security cameras, in some cases, along the border and the corridor towards the border post makes it difficult to manage

He said that he was engaging with the National Treasury to address the funding issues and will present three business cases to secure additional resources for the agency.

Meanwhile, the minister is set to address the first-ever Border Management Conference and Expo in Pretoria on Wednesday, discussing critical border management issues and emerging technologies.

Organised by the Border Management Authority (BMA), the event will bring together experts and leaders from public and private sectors to explore challenges like terrorism, trafficking, and organised crime.

Attendees include government officials, tech experts, and security representatives, all focused on strengthening South Africa’s border security and fostering national interests.

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Compiled by Betha Madhomu

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