Parliament’s Special Committee on Security and Justice (SCSJ) was on the border of the Free State and Lesotho this week to see first-hand security issues such as livestock theft and illegal grazing, and how cross-border crime is burdening local residents and government agencies.
The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) committee was briefed in Tempe, a SA National Defense Force (SANDF) hub with bases, units and accommodation outside Bloemfontein, before moving to the actual border area. Stops during the October 21-23 visit included the Maseru Bridge Port of Entry (PoE) and border town of Ficksburg.
A social media post attributed to Defense Corporate Communication (DCC) states that the SCSJ, after hearing from SANDF officials assigned to the Operation Corona border protection duties, as well as officials from the Free State-based Border Management Authority (BMA) and SA Police Service (SAPS), called for an urgent, unified border management plan and legislative reforms to strengthen interdepartmental coordination.
The call was made after parliamentarians saw dilapidated infrastructure, inadequate staffing, porous fencing and limited surveillance technology. Collectively, these weaken the integrity of national borders and facilitate illegal migration, smuggling and supply theft.
A BMA presentation revealed a 70% staff shortage to cover a 285km stretch of land border, the DCC reported. Similarly, the SANDF told NCOP members that it has “only 42 soldiers” to patrol the 485km land border. Police add to the tale of woe, warning of ongoing problems such as livestock theft, corruption and a lack of safe pounds. Customs officials from the SA Revenue Service (SARS) confirmed ongoing efforts to combat illegal trade.
According to a statement from the Parliamentary Communication Services, a public engagement session at Ficksburg Town Hall in Clarens sought solutions to the increasing challenges facing frontier agriculture. Stock theft, cross-border crime, rural safety and the delivery of SAPS services were the main issues raised.
Residents called for effective implementation of the National Rural Security Strategy, especially at police station level, and allocating sufficient resources to protect rural communities and prioritize food security. They went further to “call for adequate resources” for the BMA, SANDF and SAPS to effectively tackle cross-border crime and ensure farming communities are safe.
The farming community further proposed to strengthen the SAPS stock theft units by increasing the number of trained and skilled detectives; expanding fleets and mobility resources; integrating technology to enhance surveillance and research capabilities; and imposing harsher penalties for livestock-related crimes.
Residents also called for increased SAPS capacity in rural areas, recommending the appointment of dedicated rural security coordinators at rural police stations, equipped with special vehicles and clear job descriptions focused solely on rural security. They proposed the deployment of dedicated crime intelligence resources in rural areas to improve proactive threat detection, support targeted police operations and improve the overall effectiveness of crime prevention strategies.
Regarding cross-border crimes, residents emphasized increased patrols, improved mobility and additional resources to secure vulnerable border regions and disrupt illegal activities. They further suggested setting up area response teams at strategic points for rapid response to emerging security threats.
In addition, there were calls to complete overdue legislation, including the Pounds Act and the Controlled Animal Bill, to strengthen enforcement of regulations on livestock theft and stray animals. They also called for stricter regulation of auctions, slaughterhouses and speculators to curb livestock-related crimes.
The Free State Regional Commissioner promised to deploy additional SAPS personnel to address the concerns of the Ficksburg community.
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