Mapaballo Borotho
- Two Mozambican nationals were arrested at the border with 46 fraudulent passports and over R30 000 in cash after attempting to bribe officials.
- The arrests form part of intensified festive-season operations by the Border Management Authority.
- Authorities also intercepted hundreds of undocumented migrants at other border points, while Sendelingsdrift Port of Entry has been temporarily closed due to flooding.
Two Mozambican nationals were arrested while attempting to enter South Africa after being found in possession of 46 fraudulently stamped Mozambican passports and more than R30 000 in cash.
The suspects were apprehended by Border Management Authority (BMA) officials as part of intensified operations at Ports of Entry and along vulnerable segments of the borderline.
Earlier this month, BMA Commissioner Michael Masiapato announced a zero-tolerance approach to corruption at the country’s key ports during the festive season, with some border posts operating 24 hours a day to manage increased travel volumes.
According to Masiapato, the suspects attempted to bribe officials with the cash found in their possession and resisted arrest when the bribery attempt failed.
Both suspects have since been charged with fraud, bribery, and resisting arrest. Joint operations by border law enforcement agencies continue at Ports of Entry and along vulnerable border areas.
The BMA has also noted a shift in movement patterns, with border guards intercepting 585 undocumented Zimbabwean nationals at the Grobler Bridge port of entry to Botswana on 18 December 2025.
The group was found moving through vulnerable border segments without travel documents and carrying goods that should have been declared through normal customs processes.
In addition, about 142 Basotho nationals were intercepted at Sani Pass during ongoing operations.
Meanwhile, operations at the Sendelingsdrift Port of Entry between South Africa and Namibia have been temporarily suspended due to increased water levels caused by persistent rainfall, which pose safety risks to travellers and the pontoon crossing.
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