Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula says they will be deploying drones along parts of the Beitbridge border post to help fight the illegal entry of people into South Africa. This will be done in addition to regular patrols by soldiers.
She was responding to questions from members of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) regarding the much-criticised new fence along the border with Zimbabwe. The fence has proven no hindrance to people entering the country illegally.
Border jumping continues at the Beitbridge border post:
Mapisa-Nqakula says the fence has been found to be of the wrong specification to the one that was ordered and it was procured irregularly.
“One of the decisions chair, is we begin to use drones chairperson, to rely more on technology. Yes, we have our warm bodies on the borderline, but also rely on sensors. The fence has not helped, the movement of people continues and people have vandalised the fence, people have stolen the fence,” says Mapisa-Nqakula.
