Recent media reports suggest that the Border Management Authority (BMA), established as an autonomous Schedule 3A Public Entity on 1 April 2023, is underfunded, understaffed and overwhelmed.
The authority’s most recent report revealed a shortfall of R4.3 billion, a fraction of what is needed to fulfil its mandate.
It is not, however, only the financial burden created by the formation of the BMA that dooms it to failure, but the fact that the creation of this agency was strongly opposed when first presented as a Bill to Parliament in 2013.
Why the opposition and why the failure to deliver?
In principle, the idea of a more streamlined border management agency which reduces corruption, prevents illicit trading and facilitates the movement of people and goods is a good one, but placing this authority under the Department of Home Affairs was not welcomed.
A member of Parliament called the BMA Bill “one of the worst pieces of legislation to ever hit the House”, and concerns raised by the South African Revenue Service (Sars), the SA Police Service (SAPS) and the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) led to several revisions.
In 2018, the Institute for Security Studies also raised concerns about the threat of corruption and abuses, and the ability of Home Affairs to lead the initiative.
Five years ago, it was anticipated that establishing the BMA could take up to 15 years, with an initial cost of R3.8 billion a year, and R10.3 billion annually when fully implemented. It is now clear that these figures were grossly underestimated.
In 2023, it was reported that R124.9 million had been allocated to kit out BMA staff with uniforms and designs, launch the BMA brand and acquire 15 Toyota Land Cruisers, and a further R1.09 billion allocated to implement passenger recording and advance passenger processing systems.
It has now been reported that the BMA needs R9 million to conduct lifestyle audits to root out corruption within its ranks, an amount it cannot afford.
Since it became fully operational, the BMA has not instilled a sense of confidence within the freight sector. Delays in getting goods released from the various Other Government Agencies (OGAs) continue daily, and there is a lack of expertise to deal with day-to-day challenges. Clearing agents and importers continue having to deal with individual government departments to obtain release of detained goods, effectively making the BMA another OGA, not the authority.
Considering that Sars, the SAPS and the SANDF are already excluded from the BMA, the original concept has already been lost.
A serious challenge to South Africa implementing the National Single Window, a Sars initiative, is the lack of funding available to departments such as Port Health as an example.
Almost all OGAs operate using manual systems and processes, with no improvement since the BMA was established, and funding the BMA could have been more wisely utilized to procure or upgrade IT systems, employment and training.
Instead, the BMA has drained resources from these departments in terms of manpower, has placed a burden on government for funding, and continues to hamper trade.
Successes at the land borders in dealing with illegal immigrants, smuggling and the seizure of counterfeit goods is minimal when considering the bigger picture, and the BMA’s future is in serious doubt.
