Call to pass Bill to plug porous borders

The Department of Home Affairs wants Parliament to urgently pass the Border Management Authority Bill to deal with the country’s porous borders. A Cape Times report says the Bill has been sitting in Parliament for two years after disagreements over some of its content. The department told the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs this week that it wanted the Bill to be passed urgently. It allows for the merger of seven departments stationed at the borders into one entity. The departments of Home Affairs and Agriculture, as well as SARS, the police and the army, are some of the entities manning the borders. But they will be put under one roof after the Bill becomes law. Home Affairs’ Jackson McKay said the Bill had stalled in the National Council of Provinces. He said its finalisation would allow for the adequate deployment of the army on the border. Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said it was important to bring all entities on the border under one command structure. This would streamline processes for managing the border. Motsoaledi said the Bill would ensure that the department knew of every person in the country.

Border Management Authority Bill (B9B-2016)

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