DA wants soldiers to secure borders

6th July 2018

By: African News Agency

  

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The police alone cannot secure South African borders, the Democratic Alliance (DA) said on Thursday.

"Our offer is that it must not just be the police here. We need the SA African National Defence Force to ensure that ultimately border control is in place. As it stands in South Africa there more VIP security for politicians than there are for citizens," leader Mmusi Maimane said.

He visit the Ramatlabama border post outside Mahikeng on Thursday. The border links South Africa and Botswana.

Maimane said drug related crimes have increased at the border post over the past 10 years.

He said the manner in which cars were being searched at the border gave criminals confidence that the Ramatlabama border post could be used as a stepping stone to smuggle drugs into South African.

"We do not want our children to die of drugs, crime in South African is  going out of control. We are a country where murder is at the levels of a country at war yet we are not at war. We are experiencing heist in our country, our people are being killed. How do we know the weapons that are killing and drug that are given to our children are coming through this border post," he said. 

Maimane said the oversight visit was prompted by the increasing number in drug-related crimes at the Mmabatho and Mahikeng police stations.

"We cannot hope to build a stable and prosperous South Africa if we cannot keep our children safe. Any investment in our country must begin with them. But when you look at the effects of drugs and drug-related crime in our communities, then we have to admit that we are failing to protect them." 

He said there have been various reports of cross-border drug trafficking.

"Two years ago a truck was searched at the Kopfontein border post near Zeerust after sniffer dogs reacted. Custom officials found almost one-and-a-half million mandrax tablets worth nearly R80 million in a hidden compartment. They arrested two people – one Tanzanian and one Zambian national." 

He said more personnel should be posted at the Ramatlabama border post.

Edited by African News Agency

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