SOWETAN SAYS | End corruption at the border posts

The Border Management Authority (BMA) deserves commendation for its bold and effective embrace of technology in securing SA’s borders. The recent deployment of advanced drones and body-worn cameras has breathed new life into a once embattled area of law enforcement, transforming and delivering measurable results.

The results speak for themselves. In just a few days over the Easter weekend, more than 1,000 undocumented migrants were intercepted at Beitbridge border post – a testament to what modern tools, combined with determined leadership, can achieve.

The use of drone surveillance is not only helping detect illegal crossings in real-time, but is also helping authorities track down the real orchestrators of illegal migration – the so-called facilitators who profit from human desperation. This new visibility has enabled officials to crack down on syndicates that previously operated with near-impunity, and it’s clear that the BMA’s intensified efforts are beginning to bear fruit.

Body-worn cameras are also boosting transparency and accountability among border personnel. For the first time, SA’s borders are not just being patrolled – they are being proactively monitored.

However, as we celebrate these gains, we must acknowledge an uncomfortable truth: technology alone cannot root out all that undermines our border integrity. If the authorities are serious about dismantling the networks that undermine our national security, they must be equally aggressive in rooting out corruption within their own ranks.

Corruption at our borders thrives on a toxic triangle: undocumented migrants, criminal facilitators and, importantly, corrupt officials. Without internal betrayal by public servants willing to turn a blind eye for personal gain, many of these illegal crossings would fail.

The same energy, resources and innovation applied to catching facilitators must also be directed inward, rooting out officials who enable, protect or profit from border crimes.

Technology can assist in the fight against corruption, but it needs to be backed by a culture of zero tolerance, swift investigations and prosecution of guilty officials. Turning a blind eye to corruption risks undermining all the progress made through technological innovation.

The BMA’s success with drones and surveillance proves what is possible when resources are matched with political will. But this moment must not breed complacency. The true measure of border security will be seen not just in the number of migrants intercepted, but in the integrity of the officials who wear the uniform.

 A border is only as strong as the people entrusted to protect it.