OR Tambo International Airport processed more than 993 000 travellers, a 22% increase in traveller volume year on year.

• More than five million people crossed South Africa’s border over the festive season.
• This festive season saw an increase of around a million travellers, year on year.
• In 43 days, more than 27 000 people were denied entry and deported, the Border Management Authority said.

In only 43 days, more than five million people passed through South Africa’s ports of entry.

During a briefing by the Border Management Authority (BMA) Commissioner Mike Masiapato on Sunday, he said that between 6 December and 18 January, the BMA facilitated the legitimate movement of 5 096 288 travellers across 71 ports of entry.

Masiapato said there was an increase of around one million travellers year on year, but that numbers had not yet risen to those seen prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, which were around six million travellers.

News24 previously reported that the BMA said that during the festive period, there is a significant increase in the movement of people and goods across the various ports of entry. The BMA said that operating hours had been extended at several ports of entry with Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique and eSwatini.

In addition, about 380 additional personnel were brought in to work at selected ports during the festive season.

Masiapato said that BMA officials processed more than 216 000 private vehicles, 21 500 minibus taxis, 6 400 buses and 55 700 trucks at ports of entry.

In addition, more than 13 000 aircraft passed through South Africa’s international airports.

The majority of those travellers passed through OR Tambo International Airport, which was South Africa’s busiest port of entry.

This airport processed more than 993 000 travellers, a 22% increase in traveller volume year on year.

The second busiest port of entry was the Lebombo land port of entry to Mozambique, which processed 755 000 travellers (a 24% increase year on year), followed by the Beitbridge land port of entry to Zimbabwe with more than 745 000 travellers (a 25% increase). 

Masiapato said: 

He said that over the 43 days, there were 27 005 individuals who were deported while attempting to enter South Africa illegally. Of those, almost 16 000 people attempted to enter South Africa without requisite documentation.

The majority of these people were intercepted at and around Lebombo and Beit Bridge.

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In addition, more than 6 400 travellers were denied entry into South Africa “for being undesirable”, including those who have committed crimes in other countries and appear on the Interpol red list, said Masiapato.

“Despite these interceptions, as the Border Management Authority, we remain concerned about some conveyancers, meaning public transporters who continue to consciously transport illegal migrants across our ports of entry and border law enforcement areas,” he said.

“During this period, we imposed about 98 administrative fines to various conveyancers, especially bus companies, to the value of R3 540 000 for transporting illegal migrants.”

Masiapato added that 246 “criminal elements” had been apprehended and that four tube boats, allegedly used to move illegal migrants across rivers into South Africa, had been confiscated. He said various drugs had also been seized.

He went on to say that the BMA’s team of health specialists screened about 1.4 million travellers for various infectious and or communicable diseases.

He said around 400 people had been turned away as they could not produce a valid yellow fever certificate.

“Following the outbreak of cholera in Zimbabwe, Malawi and some parts of Zambia, the BMA port health team intensified its screening activities at the Beitbridge border post. As such, a case of cholera was detected at Beitbridge and [the person] was handed over to the Limpopo health authorities for further examination and treatment,” added Masiapato.

News24 previously reported that two laboratory-confirmed cases of cholera in Limpopo had both been “imported from Zimbabwe”, according to the national health department.

An outbreak in Zimbabwe has so far claimed over 200 lives.

Masiapato added: “Despite the end of the 2023/2024 festive period, as the BMA we have put measures in place to sustain our intensified border operations and consolidate our border management functions going into the future. From this operation, we are already putting plans in place for the management of the upcoming Good Friday festive period in the coming few weeks.”