2 September 2024
Community members from Niani, just outside Musina in Limpopo threatened to shut down the Baobab Toll Plaza which links Musina to the Beitbridge border post to Zimbabwe. Photo: Thembi Siaga
Hundreds of residents of Niani, just outside Musina, took to the streets on Friday to express their frustration at escalating crime around the Beitbridge Border in Limpopo.
They are calling for an end to incidents of car theft, hijacking, and illicit goods smuggling. Residents blamed what they described as a ‘porous border’, for exacerbating crime in their communities.
On 30 August, protesters threatened to shut down the Baobab Toll Plaza which links Musina with the Beitbridge border crossing to Zimbabwe. But they were stopped by police officers.
Following the deterioration of the fence in March 2020, President Cyril Ramaphosa authorised the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate state procurement during that National State of Disaster period.
In March 2022, the Special Tribunal set aside the two contracts awarded to the value of R40.4-million for constructing a razor mesh fence on the border. The Tribunal also ordered the service providers to be divested of the profits earned. In April 2024 the Supreme Court of Appeal upheld a ruling, dismissing a leave to appeal application by the two contractors.
The protesters raised the issue of the fence and blamed the lack of policing and security at the border on rising crime.
“When we go to the police station to report cases, nothing is done. Yet today they are present in large numbers, including a helicopter. But still they do nothing about the crime,” said resident Livhuwani Sello.
Protesters handed over their memorandum to Limpopo’s deputy provincial commissioner Major General Jan Scheepers. Among their demands is for the construction of electric fences, walls, and trenches along the border.
Addressing the crowd, Scheepers said, “Sometimes, there is corruption within our ranks, and even locals report to perpetrators that the police are on their way.”
He promised to arrange a meeting with police and other authorities to address the concerns raised by residents.
Limpopo police spokesperson Hlulani Mashaba told GroundUp that about nine police officers from the Tshamutumbu Police Station were recently arrested and dismissed due to their involvement in corruption.
The Tshamutumbu station is responsible for policing areas such as Malale and Madimbo, where there are reports of a rise in cross-border crimes. He denied the protesters’ claims and affirmed the police’s commitment to combating corruption.
Mashaba said they are working on a plan with law enforcement agencies, including the South African National Defence Force and the Border Management Authority.