Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula on Thursday said despite the incident in which SA National Defence Force (SANDF) deployed to the Mozambique border exchanged gunfire with police from the neighbouring State, the two nations continue to enjoy close co-operation.
Speaking to journalists in Pretoria on the sidelines of a Women’s Day Parade, Mapisa-Nqakula said a probe into the shooting had been concluded but she could not divulge the findings before they were presented to President Cyril Ramaphosa.
“The report is out ... of the investigation that was conducted by our teams, working together with the Mozambicans. However, I am not able to divulge to you the details of the report.
"The report has not been handed over to the commander in chief [Ramaphosa],” Mapisa-Nqakula said.
“However, I need to assure you that we continue to work together with the Mozambicans.
"We will continue to work together in issues of border patrolling, to prevent poaching, and we will forever work together to prevent all criminal activities including cars that are being stolen and driven across the border into Mozambique.
"We continue to collaborate with the [Mozambican] police on the other side of the border,” the minister said.
In June, the SANDF confirmed the shooting incident occurred between the South African soldiers and Mozambican Border Police in the area of Ndumo, east of Farazella along the RSA-Mozambique border.
Two members of Mozambique’s border police were killed in the incident, prompting the two sisterly countries to launch investigations.