Soldiers heighten patrols along South Africa-Zimbabwe border to thwart smuggling, illegal crossing ahead of festive season 

By Staff Reporter 

SOUTH Africa Defence Forces (SADF) soldiers have heightened vigilance by intensifying patrols along the Malaladrift area bordering Zimbabwe to frustrate cross-border smuggling and border jumping across the Limpopo River.

Illegal activities usually increase across the dry riverbed during the Christmas and New Year holidays as most undocumented Zimbabwean nationals return home.

SADF spokesperson, Major Shilangoma Mahlahlane told State broadcaster, SABC News, that security forces were on high alert for smugglers and border jumpers.

“Our mandate is border safeguarding, we are covering 55 kilometre radius of this area. There are hotspots where vehicles are crossing, hotspots where cigarettes and explosives are crossing,” said Mahlahlane.

“So our mandate, at all costs, is to disrupt these from taking place and stop whatever which is not supposed to leave or come into South Illegally.”

Gangs which facilitate the illegal deals commonly known as “magumaguma” have become sophisticated and monitor SADF patrols from vantage points and sneak in and out of the neighbouring country undetected.

In some instances, they use donkey-drawn scotch carts to transport their contraband across the now dry Limpopo River.

Although security is reportedly tight at Beitbridge Border Post, undocumented Zimbabweans are still finding their way into and out of South African.

Hordes of Zimbabweans fleeing a comatose economy back home illegally cross into South Africa in the hope of brighter economic fortunes while others have ventured into full-time smuggling trade, moving vehicles, drugs, cigarettes, fuel, electrical appliances, among other goods.