Pretoria - In a move aimed at beefing up security at the country's borders, a new agency could soon be in place to address security gaps along South Africa's border line and ports of entry.
State Security Minister Siyabonga Cwele said during his budget vote in Parliament on Wednesday that the Border Management Agency (BMA) will promote free movement of goods and people while preventing illegality.
The protection of borders in Southern Africa and beyond is now, more than ever, of paramount importance as South Africa and its neighbouring countries prepare to safeguard tourists and citizens ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
But Cwele said a security assessment to date does not indicate any security threat to the event including any threats of terrorism adding that security agencies were on guard for any eventuality.
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) recently took the responsibility to patrol and secure the country's border line.
He said an inter-departmental task team, responsible for the setting up of the BMA has reported considerable progress and that feasibility study required to ensure that the agency becomes a legal entity in the next three months has been completed.
"We are currently in the process of obtaining approval from the Departments of Public Service and Administration and National Treasury," said Cwele.
The department is also conducting daily threat assessments including the appraisal of routes, base camps, hotels and screening of service providers.
This information is then fed into the National Joint Operations Centre to guide operations.
Meanwhile, the department has begun security assessment work in preparation for the 2011 municipal elections.
Cwele said working together with the Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Department and the Independent Electoral Commission to provide security assessments, authorities will focus on the elimination of the so-called 'No-go Areas' in order to ensure that all South Africans participate freely in the elections without any fear of intimidation.
