Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
South African border authorities have described the Border Management and Immigration Anti-Corruption Forum (BMIACF) crime awareness campaign held at Beitbridge Port of Entry (PoE) on Tuesday as a bold step towards ending border-related crimes.
As part of the campaign, authorities enlisted the testimonies of inmates who shared their experiences with the media and travellers as part of an anti-corruption and fraud campaign.
The inmates were drawn from various sectors, including former border agency officials who were convicted of border crimes.
So far, over 40 Home Affairs officials, including those deployed to Beitbridge, have been arrested on corruption-related charges over the last 12 months.
Common corrupt activities include facilitating irregular migration (border jumping) and smuggling contraband into either Zimbabwe or South Africa.
The Border Management Authority (BMA) Deputy Assistant Commissioner for communications and marketing, Ms Mmemme Mogotsi, said the awareness campaign will go a long way in reducing border-related crimes.
She said it underscores the BMIACF’s concerted efforts to ensure officials working in the sector uphold the highest standards of ethical conduct and integrity by performing their duties without fear or favour.
“The Border Management and Immigration Anti-Corruption Forum (BMIACF) awareness campaign held at Beitbridge Port of Entry on Tuesday, November 11 2025, sent out a strong message to officials working at the border that those engaged in corruption will face the full might of the law,” said Ms Mogotsi.
She said the Department of Correctional Services brought the inmates to share how corruption landed them in the docks.
As part of the initiative, offenders who have been convicted of acts of corruption shared their regrettable experiences, calling upon officials to serve with integrity to ensure they do not find themselves in correctional facilities.
Ms Mogotsi highlighted that the offenders shared that although correctional officials treat them with dignity, incarceration remains a difficult experience because they no longer enjoy the freedoms that the general public has.
“Prison is very painful. My advice to all public officials is if you are already engaged in corruption, it is better for you to stop now; for your sake and that of your family,” said one of the inmates during the awareness campaign.
Echoing similar sentiments was another convicted official who is currently serving a 15-year jail term over corruption.
“I was working in law enforcement, but due to acts of corruption, now I find myself wearing the corrections uniform. I have grandchildren who come to visit me in custody and they wonder why I am not returning home,” said the inmate.
BMA commissioner and chief executive officer (CEO), Dr Michael Masiapato, said the BMIACF enables integrated border law enforcement and relevant stakeholders to have conversations about the consequences of corruption.
“Beitbridge is one of our biggest and busiest ports, which is also an entry into the rest of the continent. It is important that we have this awareness campaign here so officials do not find themselves involved in wrongdoing,” he emphasised.
The BMIACF, which consists of the SIU, the BMA, Home Affairs, the National Prosecuting Authority and the Director for Priority Crimes Investigations (DPCI, also known as the Hawks) together with civil society organisations, was formed in March this year.
The forum serves as a platform for collaboration among key law enforcement organisations, civil society and business to address systemic corruption and illicit activities in the sector.
As the fight against border crimes intensifies between South Africa and Zimbabwe, the border agencies on the Zimbabwean side have signed integrity pledges with the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) as the fight against corruption gains traction at SADC’s busiest border.
Both the South African and Zimbabwean governments are losing millions of dollars annually in customs revenue due to corruption involving border agencies and ordinary citizens.
