The Chairperson of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs, Mosa Chabane, has called for stronger accountability after authorities intercepted an unroadworthy bus carrying undocumented immigrants in Limpopo.
Chabane, alongside Limpopo Police Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Hadebe, joined an ongoing law enforcement operation led by the Department of Transport and Community Safety after authorities stopped a bus travelling from Malawi to Johannesburg carrying 75 passengers, 43 of whom were found to be undocumented.
“It is unacceptable that despite the mandates of the two agencies, incidents of foreign buses transporting illegal immigrants continue to be intercepted within the country. The two agencies must adopt a zero-tolerance approach to this illegality,” Chabane said.
He criticised what he described as a lack of follow-through in enforcing regulations, noting that several bus companies have been intercepted this year for allegedly transporting undocumented foreign nationals.
“The Cross-Border Road Transport Agency has for a long time threatened to take a hard-line stance by withdrawing permits of bus companies knowingly transporting undocumented immigrants. There appears to be no follow-through in enforcing the law, which is unacceptable,” he said.
Chabane also raised concern over the continued illegal entry of foreign nationals into South Africa, saying funding challenges at the Border Management Authority cannot excuse ongoing failures to secure the country’s borders.
He called for decisive action against any officials found to be facilitating the movement of undocumented immigrants.
“Where there is illegality, it must be met with decisive law enforcement and consequences. We cannot and will not accept the subversion of our laws for nefarious and selfish ends,” he said.
While welcoming the efforts of the South African Police Service in intercepting the bus, Chabane urged authorities to adopt a more coordinated and intelligence-driven approach to tackle the growing issue.
He warned that the transportation of undocumented immigrants on unroadworthy buses presents a dual threat, undermining immigration controls while contributing to road safety risks and South Africa’s high road fatality rate.