Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
South Africa’s Home Affairs Department will on Friday introduce new immigration security stamps with modified features as part of the transformation of its migration management systems.
The new immigration stamps will be in use from 1 August at all land, sea and airports in the neighbouring country.
In a recent circular to departmental heads, the commissioner of the Border Management Authority (BMA), Dr Micheal Masiapato, said communication about the new changes had been made to all relevant authorities, including the Department of International Relations and Cooperation.
“This communication serves to notify all border authorities including the Department of International Relations and Cooperation offices and officials, that all ports of entry in South Africa are now using new arrival and departure immigration security stamps with effect from 1 August,” said Dr Masiapato.
Of late South African and Zimbabweans immigration and customs departments have been hit by scammers using fake stamps to clear cargo and travellers through the two countries; borders.
This saw authorities employing a number of strategies to reduce the risk of fake stamps. Zimbabwe is already using automated gates (eGates) and the online border management system (OBMS) to process travellers’ passports.
An average of 15 000 cross use Zimbabwe and South Africa’s land border (Beitbridge).
The use of fake stamps is common mostly among those wishing to illegally extend their stay in either country or those on the crime watch list who want to avoid interception.
