05 Aug 2020

Illegal border crossings constitute national security threat and should be discouraged, says Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Dr Thapelo Matsheka.

More importantly, he said with the advent of COVID-19, the illegal activities increased the possibility of transmission across borders and therefore put the whole country under huge risk.

Dr Matsheka, who was responding to a parliamentary question on Tuesday, said that his ministry was  aware of illegal border crossings along the rivers of Madikwe and Limpopo in the Kgatleng District along the border of South Africa. 

He noted that reasons for such illegal activities were varied and could not be attributed to the non-existent of border posts in the area.

He said that government had no plans to construct a crossing point along river villages, saying some of the existing borders  had to be closed, save for commercial ones; in order to limit resources to a few border posts as well as ensuring that there was a limited and manageable number of people crossing the border. 

He further explained that opening of an additional crossing point at the moment would be undermining government’s strategy in efforts to limit resources, with dire health and economic consequences. In addition, Dr Matsheka highlighted that the administration of border posts crossing costs an average of P50 million on an annual basis. 

Therefore, he noted that opening a border crossing between Botswana and its neighbours, given the limited resources available, and  in the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, has to be subjected to cost benefit analysis and prioritisation.

The MP for Mochudi East, Mr Mabuse Pule had asked the minister if he was aware of the illegal activities along the Madikwe and Limpopo rivers due to lack of a crossing point after the Sikwane border post. 

Mr Pule also asked the minister if there were any plans to establish an official crossing point to facilitate residents of Malolwane, Oliphant Drift, Ramotlabaki and Phala Kampa. Ends