South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs has moved to clarify that the patrolling of the border along the Limpopo River remains the responsibility of statutory law enforcement agencies.
Responding to reports that AfriForum has formed a border control unit – complete with sniffer dogs – to stop Zimbabweans entering the country illegally, the department said on Monday that it “wishes to clarify the misconception created about the patrolling of the border, in particular along the Limpopo River”.
The department said it has become aware of a video circulating on social media and other news platforms that AfriForum has taken over the responsibility of patrolling the borderline.
“This is blatantly untrue. Members of AfriForum in Musina are patrolling their own farms which are neighbouring the borderline,” said the department.
“They are certainly not patrolling the general border line outside their farms. If they were doing so, it would have been illegal.
“The responsibility of patrolling the borderline is that of statutory law enforcement agencies and they have not handed it over to any citizen or group of citizens.”
In a related development, the department said the Border Management Authority was proceeding with speed and had finalised the appointment of the first cohort of Border Guards to be deployed along the vulnerable segments of the borderline.
“In executing its duties, the Border Management Authority will rely on lawful partnerships with other stakeholders that include the SA National Defence Force, SA Police Service and border communities,” said the department.
