Zanu-PF notes Zimbabwe, South Africa border management operational challenges

The Zanu-PF Economic Development Cluster embarked on a critical fact-finding mission yesterday to inspect several illegal crossing points along the Limpopo River, as the Government ramps up efforts to combat illegal activities, including border jumping and smuggling.

This mission comes at a time when Zimbabwe is facing significant losses in customs revenue due to organized smuggling syndicates operating along the border with South Africa. The illegal routes used by immigrants and smugglers stretch across various crossing points such as Spillway, National Parks, Tshikwalakwala, Tshinyamupanza, Mai Maria, Dite, Panda Mine 1 and Panda Mine 2, River Ranch, Musetshe, Shashe, and Tshivhara.

Security personnel from both Zimbabwe and South Africa frequently conduct joint operations to address rampant criminal activities in the region, including rape, murder, robberies, thefts, and, notably, smuggling. Illegal goods such as groceries, cement, furniture, illicit drugs, banned genetically modified foods, and beer are often trafficked into Zimbabwe, while stolen livestock, cigarettes, and minerals are smuggled into South Africa.

The Zanu-PF delegation was led by several high-profile members, including Retired Lieutenant General Engelbert Rugeje (Secretary of Economic Affairs), Elifasi Mashaba (Secretary for Business Development), Annastancia Ndlovu (Director of the Economic Affairs Department), Collen Mharadzano (Director of Business Development), and Francis Hungwe (Director of Economic Development and Empowerment). The delegation was accompanied by officials from the local security cluster, including senior immigration and customs officials, as well as parliamentarians Albert Nguluvhe (Beitbridge East), Thusani Ndou (Beitbridge West), and Senator Tambudzani Mohadi.

Mashaba praised the Government's ongoing efforts to tighten border security and curb the smuggling of goods, acknowledging the critical role of effective border management. "We have heard several reports regarding border control issues at Beitbridge Border Post and along the Limpopo River. Therefore, we are here to assess the situation firsthand and evaluate the current operations as per the direction of the party and President ED Mnangagwa," he stated.

Mashaba further emphasized the need for enhanced coordination between Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) and other stakeholders involved in securing the border. He underlined the importance of providing the necessary resources and support to ensure that customs operations are efficient, which will help generate the revenue needed to fund various Government programs.

The Zanu-PF delegation met with key stakeholders involved in border management, acknowledging the challenges faced by those tasked with maintaining order at the border. The team will compile a comprehensive report detailing their findings, including recommendations for addressing operational challenges, which will be presented to the Politburo for further action.

"We have seen the situation on the ground during this tour, and we will now provide feedback to our principals," Mashaba concluded.

The two-day tour, aimed at gathering information and improving border security, highlighted the pressing need for enhanced operational support and better collaboration across all sectors to curb smuggling and ensure proper border control measures are implemented effectively.