'All will be up an
running by April'
MEMBERS OF THE National Inter-Departmental Structure on Border Control (NIDS) are currently carrying out unscheduled 'spot checks' on border post operations throughout the country as part of their plan to have all posts totally up and running within three months.
This is the way we plan to meet all international demands and we are going to do it, says Brian van Niekerk, NIDS senior superintendent who is in charge of the border post update movement.
Officials at the posts have found NIDS members arriving unexpectedly in recent weeks to observe how operations are proceeding.
We have been able to evaluate the entire position in this manner, says Van Niekerk. It is all part of a programme which we have styled , where we are looking at how each border post operates.
Sceptics have claimed it is beyond the organisation's ability to have the entire programme complete within their targeted three month period, but Van Niekerk is confident it will happen.
Involved are 52 land posts of which 19 are commercial, seven harbours and 10 airports which serve international needs.
Customs operations, border police patrols and immigration controls are all under the NIDS survey.
It's a mammoth task, and it has involved us giving up most of our weekends for visits and the multitude of meetings we have to attend with various governmental bodies, says Van Niekerk. But we are leaving no stone unturned. It is our objective to have every border post fully operational by the end of April. I think we will do it.
