20 minors intercept at Beitbridge border

South Africa's Border Management Authority (BMA), with the support of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), has intercepted more than 20 minors near the Limpopo River in the vicinity of the Beitbridge border fence, amid intensified efforts to curb illegal migration between South Africa and Zimbabwe.

The interception took place on Thursday, with authorities alleging that the children were being smuggled into South Africa. The operation forms part of a broader cross-border crackdown by Zimbabwean and South African authorities targeting illegal migration and related offences.

In a statement, the BMA said the children were aged between five and 17 years and were travelling with 10 adults. Preliminary verification revealed that only one adult was the biological parent of one child, while the remaining minors were travelling without parental supervision or lawful guardianship.

BMA Commissioner Dr Michael Masiapato said the case had raised serious concerns around child protection, potential exploitation and non-compliance with immigration and child welfare laws.

"All individuals have been placed under the care of the relevant authorities, and processes are underway to ensure the safety, wellbeing and lawful handling of the minors in line with South African laws and international child protection protocols," said Masiapato.

He added that the BMA was working closely with the police, the Department of Social Development and other stakeholders to verify identities, establish the circumstances surrounding the movement of the children and determine appropriate interventions.

"The protection of vulnerable persons, particularly children, remains a priority for the BMA. We will continue to intensify joint operations with our security cluster partners to prevent exploitation and safeguard the integrity of our borders," Masiapato said.

The latest incident comes against the backdrop of heightened enforcement activities on both sides of the border. On the Zimbabwean side, the Department of Immigration's Regional Compliance and Enforcement Unit arrested 3 640 people in December alone for various offences linked to illegal activities.

During the same period, a total of 27 travellers from countries including Nigeria, South Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Ghana, Egypt, Mozambique, Malawi, Burundi and Congo-Brazzaville were refused entry into Zimbabwe for failing to meet visa requirements.

Authorities on both sides of the border say joint operations will continue as part of efforts to combat illegal migration, human smuggling and the exploitation of vulnerable groups, particularly children.