BMA operating with 75% vacancy rate as more than 50 officers dismissed for corruption

Ask AI 3minThe Border Management Authority is operating with a 75% vacancy rate, with Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber, above, confirming that officers also lack the necessary tools to perform their duties effectively.

The Border Management Authority (BMA) is operating with a 75% vacancy rate, with 2,146 officers deployed across its four regions, Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber has revealed.

Schreiber provided the figures in response to a parliamentary question from African Transformation Movement (ATM) MP Thandiswa Marawu, who sought information about staffing levels at the country’s border posts, whether the number of officers was sufficient to manage monthly visitor numbers, and whether they had the necessary equipment to combat corruption.

The Eastern Region, which covers KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga, has the highest number of officers, with 696 deployed.

The Central Region, covering Gauteng and the Free State, has 669 officers, while the Northern Region, which includes Limpopo and North West, has 490.

The Southern Region, covering the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and Western Cape, has 291 officers.

The combined regional deployment stands at 2,146 officers.

Schreiber said the number of officers was insufficient, with the authority continuing to operate with a 75% vacancy rate.

“The recent Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement contained important commitments in this regard that must assist with urgently-needed capacitation,” he said.

The minister also confirmed that officers did not have the necessary tools of trade to perform their duties effectively and combat corruption.

The reply did not identify the specific equipment that was lacking, or a breakdown of staffing at individual border posts, despite Marawu requesting figures for each port of entry, or monthly visitor numbers against which staffing levels could be assessed.

The equipment concerns come amid previous reports of limited resources available to BMA officers.

During a parliamentary oversight visit to Beitbridge, the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs was informed of operational difficulties, including limited scanning capacity and the reliance on manual searches of luggage carried on buses.

Officials were using a mobile scanner powered by rechargeable batteries, with inspections interrupted when the equipment needed recharging.

The authority’s surveillance resources were also limited. In July, IOL reported that the BMA had 40 body-worn cameras for approximately 600 border guards and four surveillance drones nationally. Concerns were also raised about outdated immigration software. 

The BMA has used body cameras to monitor interactions between officers and travellers, with footage linked to a digital evidence management system. Drones equipped with thermal detection technology have also been used for border surveillance. 

The staffing and equipment challenges come as the authority continues to deal with corruption involving its officials.

In March, BMA Commissioner Dr Michael Masiapato confirmed that more than 50 immigration officers had been dismissed after being found guilty of corruption-related offences.

A further 38 officials were undergoing disciplinary processes at the time.

Masiapato said the officials had been implicated in activities including facilitating the illegal movement of people, fraudulently stamping passports and selling additional days to travellers whose visas had expired.

The affected ports of entry included Beitbridge, Lebombo, Oshoek and Maseru Bridge, as well as OR Tambo International Airport. Some cases were also being handled by law enforcement agencies, including the Hawks.

The government has also committed additional funding towards increasing the BMA’s staffing capacity.

In his February 2026 Budget Speech, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced an additional R990 million for the authority over the medium term, with the funding intended to support the filling of 738 positions.