A number of officials have been deployed at border posts across the country to ensure efficient cross-border operations during the festive season, the government said in a statement on Monday.
Among them are police officers and additional immigration and customs personnel to help with extended hours of operation.
”The South African Police Service [SAPS] has already increased its force levels at the various border posts to ensure that orderly cross-border movements take place,” the statement said.
”A policy of zero tolerance will be enforced by the SAPS and a special focus will be given to organised crime, stolen vehicles, illegal firearms and drugs.”
Another measure taken was to set up a call centre to enable travellers and traders access information at all times.
Call centre operators can be contacted on 0860 267 337 or through text messaging on 083 709 9444.
For the text messaging, travellers are advised to write ”border” and then leave a space before writing the name of the port of entry or exit.
Alternatively, information relating to time, location or travel documents needed can be accessed on www.rsaborders.co.za.
All activities will be overseen by the Border Control Operational Coordinating Committee (BCOCC) which will be working with the Departments of Home Affairs, Intelligence, Transport, Public Works, Agriculture, Health and Defence, as well as the SAPS and the South African Revenue Service.
The BCOCC is an affiliated structure of the justice crime prevention and security cluster and was mandated in 2005 to strategically manage the South African border environment in a coordinated manner.
It also deals with ”challenges relating to border control and security increase over the festive season due to higher volumes of cross-border trade and the migration of large numbers of individuals both to and from neighbouring states”.
Another responsibility facing the BCOCC is to facilitate legitimate trade, the promotion of tourism and the important contribution of these sectors to economic development in South Africa and in the Southern African Development Community region.
All senior officials from the departments expected to work with the BCOCC will be meeting daily at a national joint operations centre to monitor trends in the movements of people and goods, and if necessary, employ contingency plans at the busiest land border posts.
Beit Bridge, Lebombo and Maseru Bridge border posts will be operating 24 hours a day, while Kopfontein and Skilpadshek will operate from 6am to 12am.
Oshoek will operate from 7am to 10pm and Ramatlabama in Mafikeng from 6am to 10pm.
More information will be available through the call centre in respect of border posts not operational for 24 hours.
”These steps are part of government’s public service-delivery improvement programme and will be operational until January 31 2007.” — Sapa