05 Mar 2026

Authorities in Tsabong District have issued a stern warning to residents to desist and refrain from illegal border jumping.

They warned that the heightening incidents of illegal border jumping pose a serious threat to the country’s beef industry, especially following an outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in neighbouring South Africa.

During a sensitisation meeting held in Hereford on Tuesday, Tsabong District Commissioner, Mr Levis Thupa urged the community to cease all unauthorised cross-border movements immediately. 

The caution comes on the heels of confirmed FMD cases in Bray, South Africa, a locality in close proximity to Hereford, Botswana.

Mr Thupa emphasised that illegal border crossing was no longer just a legal issue, but a national biological threat.

“By bypassing official entry points, individuals are putting the entire country at risk. It is imperative that residents use designated border gates where mandatory disinfection protocols that include footbaths for shoes and tire dips for vehicles are in place to neutralise the virus,” he said.

The assessment team also visited Draihoek, where the situation remains critical.

Kgosi Sekai Kgaodi of Draihoek highlighted the desperate and dangerous methods used to by-pass border security. 

He pointed out specific sites where residents employ the aid of fallen tree logs to scale the border fence to enter South Africa.

Despite ongoing efforts by the community to repair gaps in the borderline, Kgosi Kgaodi lamented that unknown individuals continued to vandalise the fence.

He expressed deep concern over herds roaming near the border to access watering ponds.

“Buffaloes are known primary carriers of the FMD virus and their proximity to our grazing lands, coupled with the damaged fences, creates a recipe for disaster,” he warned.

He thus pleaded with residents to drastically reduce unnecessary travel during this high-risk period. ENDS