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Parliament Backs Border Management Authority Amid R4.5 Billion Budget Crisis

The Parliamentary Committee on Home Affairs has voiced strong support for the Border Management Authority (BMA) in its push for additional resources to sustain its operations. Committee chairperson Mosa Chabane highlighted the agency’s importance in managing South Africa’s ports of entry during a recent media briefing.
The BMA is grappling with a staggering R4.5 billion budget deficit over the next three years. This shortfall threatens critical operations, including staffing, technological advancements, and essential equipment procurement.
The organisation’s approved structure allows for 11,115 positions, but only 2,566 roles are filled, leaving over 8,500 vacancies. Addressing these gaps will require filling 3,207 positions within the medium-term expenditure framework (MTEF) period.
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber highlighted the pressing need for ICT infrastructure and specialised equipment to enhance operational efficiency. Despite requesting R2.9 billion for the 2023–24 fiscal year, only R150 million of the requested R500 million from the Criminal Assets Recovery Account was approved for critical equipment.
Chabane noted the dilapidated state of border fencing at Beitbridge, calling for substantial funding to bolster the BMA’s strategic efforts. “We can’t establish an institution like the BMA to address porous borders and then fail to fund it,” Chabane said.
The committee urged the BMA to submit a comprehensive business proposal to the National Treasury. Chabane expressed optimism that additional funding would be granted to enable the agency to fulfill its mandate effectively, ensuring secure and well-managed borders.
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