Durban — Arresting a suspect with human tissue – belly button – was one of the successes achieved by Border Management Authority border guards.
This was revealed in a (response to a) parliamentary written question on cross-border crime in KwaZulu-Natal.
The IFP’s Liezl van der Merwe had asked Minister of Home Affairs Dr Aaron Motsoaledi the steps his department had taken to combat cross-border crime in the absence of a fully functioning Border Management Authority considering that cross-border crime, particularly in the uMkhanyakude District Municipality had left community members living in fear and that since the start of the year, there had been countless incidents, including the murders of anti-crime activists, Sandile Mteshe Tembe and Judah Mthethwa.
In his reply, Motsoaledi said since July last year, the Border Management Authority had deployed 33 trained border guards attached to the Kosi Bay port of entry responsible for the management of the legitimate movement of people and goods.
The border guards were in terms of Section 334(1), of the Criminal Procedure Act, appointed by the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development as “Peace Officers”.
“In relation to the curbing of crime, the border guards execute their border functions in that border environment in collaboration and co-ordination with other security structures that include the SANDF (borderline) and with the SAPS in the declared ports of entry,” Motsoaledi said.
He said the success obtained since their deployment included:
- 360 undocumented migrants were arrested;
- A Toyota Prado and green Toyota Conquest were among stolen vehicles that were recovered;
- Three bales of second-hand clothing were confiscated;
- Three cellphones, four laptops and gearbox were detected and recovered as stolen property;
- 33.924kg of dagga was seized;
- One suspect was arrested for possession of maritime resources (lobsters and crayfish) valued at R73 600; and
- One suspect was arrested for possession of human tissue (belly button).
Last month IOL reported that the Ingwavuma Regional Court had found a cross-border vehicle smuggler who terrorised communities in northern KZN guilty of numerous offences and sentenced him to 55 years in prison.
Vusi Amos Zulu Malwane, 44, was handed six-year imprisonment terms for kidnapping; 30 years for robbery with aggravating circumstances (hijacking); and 15 years for possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.
Malwane escaped from custody in 2014. The court sentenced him to four years imprisonment for the escape.
WhatsApp your views on this story at 071 485 7995.
Daily News