(Photo: Border Management Authority/X)
The DA has welcomed the dismissal of 50 officials from the Border Management Authority (BMA) and says it shows that a new anti-corruption initiative in the immigration and border management system is starting to produce results.
Adrian Roos, DA MP and the party’s spokesperson on internal affairs, says the dismissals follow after the anti-corruption forum for border management and immigration, which was established last year under Minister Leon Schreiber, began to “show its teeth”.
According to Roos, the forum brings together various role players to combat corruption in the immigration and border management system. This includes the Department of Home Affairs, the Border Management Authority, the National Prosecuting Authority, law enforcement agencies, civil society organizations and the business community.
Roos says the dismissals follow another 55 corruption-related dismissals at internal affairs under Schreiber’s leadership. A further 275 cases were referred for investigation regarding permits, while 38 BMA officials are also being investigated.
According to him, the development shows rapid progress.
“This rapid progress shows the DA difference, where corrupt officials are not simply suspended and allowed to resign and find work elsewhere, but fired and where appropriate prosecuted.”
Roos says the BMA has, under Schreiber’s leadership, introduced a comprehensive five-pillar strategy that combines intelligence gathering, visible policing, rapid response, investigations and cooperation between different institutions.
He says this strategy has resulted in interceptions of illegal border crossing attempts more than doubling since Schreiber took over the reins.
According to Roos, domestic immigration enforcement operations have also increased drastically.
“Despite chronic staffing shortages, internal immigration enforcement operations rose to more than 2,075 operations in the last quarter – ten times more than the average between 2019 and 2025.”
He says the DA also welcomes the R990 million that has been allocated to the BMA over the next three years. It is expected to add 700 border guards to the ground force.
“The DA will continue to fight for secure borders and effective immigration enforcement based on the rule of law,” says Roos.
“Our national security is not for sale.”