Cape Town – In a decisive move to curb illegal activities along the South Africa-Zimbabwe border, the South African Police Service (SAPS) demolished a makeshift bridge built over the Limpopo River near the Beitbridge Port of Entry this week.
The bridge, constructed less than a kilometre east of the official border crossing, was reportedly used for smuggling goods and people between the two countries.
The illegal structure was discovered by SAPS border policing members during a routine patrol along the border fence line.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Amanda van Wyk confirmed that the bridge was destroyed as part of the ongoing Operation Vala Umgodi, a government initiative launched in December 2023 to tackle illicit mining and other criminal activities in the country.
#sapsHQ The #SAPS‘ roving drone team provided aerial support to ensure the community of Musina and surrounding areas are safe and secure during the destruction of a man-made bridge over the Limpopo River, near the Beitbridge border post. ML pic.twitter.com/gxGQTDjpvd
— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) September 21, 2024
“The illegal bridge was less than a kilometre east of Beit Bridge Port of Entry and reportedly used to smuggle goods and people into and out of South Africa.
“Through the expertise of the SAPS’ Explosive Section, the bridge was successfully destroyed ahead of Limpopo province’s rain season,” said van Wyk.
The operation is part of a broader strategy that includes multiple law enforcement agencies, such as the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE), the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), and other stakeholders.
“These multi-disciplinary operations are being carried out in the seven identified hotspot provinces, namely; Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape and North West,” van Wyk said.
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Picture: X/@SAPoliceService
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
