Corruption at Beitbridge border post worries residents

SECURITY guards manning the entry and exit gates at Beitbridge Border Post are cashing in on bogus clearing agents and touts whom they reportedly allow to access the border in return for kickbacks.

Beitbridge Border Post has been declared a protected area under the Protected Places Act.

Investigations by Chronicle also revealed that the security guards were masquerading as immigration officials demanding to examine passports.

They then demand bribes ranging between R50 and R100 from undocumented travellers and touts intending to access the border yard.

It is the duty of an immigration officer to check passports and the validity of the travel document.

Travellers who spoke to Chronicle are accusing security guards of fleecing border jumpers using the border post. "I am a regular cross-border trader and on many occasions I have seen security guards demanding money from undocumented travellers who would either be leaving or entering the country from South Africa. What is also surprising is that they also demand to check passports, which I believe is the duty of an immigration officer," said Ms Miriam Nguluvhe of Dulibadzimu in Beitbridge.

A local clearing agent, who declined to be named, said: "Corrupt security guards are mainly targeting border jumpers and bogus clearing agents commonly known as amagumaguma. They allow them to access the customs in return for a fee and this is bad considering that they (bogus clearing agents) are into the business of swindling unsuspecting travellers and creating a bad image of the country."

One bogus clearing agent who declined to be named confirmed that they were in the habit of bribing security guards to access the border.

"We survive on dirty dealings at the border and as a result we are forced to bribe security guards to access the border and conduct our business," he said.

According to the law any person who enters or leaves the country illegally is liable to either paying a minimum fine of at least $10 or face prosecution.

Bogus clearing agents mainly target first time visitors not familiar with immigration and customs procedures.

They then approach them under the guise of offering to assist in completing the formalities for a fee.

The "services" range from completing customs declaration forms to "quickening the border clearance process" by jumping queues and in the process causing commotion at the customs and immigration halls.

The assistant regional immigration manager-in-charge of Beitbridge Border Post, Mr Charles Gwede said they were aware of criminal activities at the border.

"The challenge that we are facing as the immigration department is that we have an acute shortage of staff to clear queues during busy days as well as monitoring touts at the same time making it easy for these criminals to approach travellers and swindle them of their money," he said.

Mr Gwede warned travellers against seeking assistance from non-immigration officers, saying they risked being swindled of their money.

"We have also put up a perimeter fence around the border area to enhance security and we also urge travellers to be wary of people who masquerade as our officers. In fact, our officers have uniforms with clearly marked name tags and those are the people travellers should approach for assistance," he said.

Beitbridge Border Post is the busiest inland port of entry in sub-Saharan Africa which handles more than 3 500 vehicles and 20 000 people crossing daily during peak periods.