South Africa plans to use its newly unveiled integrated maritime Port of Entry Control Centre at Cowrie Place, in the Cape Town harbour, as a precedent for the nationwide upgrading of all ports of entry in the maritime, air and land border environment.

The integrated centre, which drew from other experiences and global best practices, was aimed at improving migration control and border management, while enhancing legitimate trade and free movement of people, goods, services and capital in South Africa, Home Affairs Minister Naledi Pandor said at the opening of the centre last week.

The centre, a first for South Africa, would assist in tackling issues around border security and control in the harbour and operate as a model ‘government house’, boosting human resource capacity as government departments and State agencies – including immigration, customs, health, agriculture, security and intelligence – were housed under one roof to promote a “seamless, modernised, efficient and effective” service.

“The launch of this facility today is more than [just] opening a physical building equipped with state-of-the-art technology – it introduces a new way of managing maritime ports of entry in our country,” said Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, adding that, as the capabilities and systems of the facility were implemented across all ports of entry, South Africa would be placed on a “new threshold of excellence”.

Gordhan pointed out that fast-growing African economies represented strong growth opportunities and new markets for South African goods, and the country needed to forge better strategic trade partnerships with countries on the continent, reduce delays and increase facilitation and risk management at border posts.

He cited the National Development Plan target of increasing, from 7% to 25%, intraregional trade in Southern Africa and total trade with regional neighbours from 15% to 30% by 2030

Further, with about 90% of South Africa’s trade volume seaborne, the country depended on the efficiency of its seven commercial ports.

“South African ports handle an estimated 200-million tonnes of freight a year. This is equivalent to about 3.5% of world sea trade volumes . . . placing South Africa among the top 15 international maritime trading nations,” he explained.

Cape Town’s port handled 870 851 containers and 729 736 t of dry bulk during the 2012/13 financial year. In the same period, 62 570 people entered and/or departed from the Cape Town harbour.