The Border Management Authority (BMA) and the Department of Social Development (DSD) have prioritised urgent structured engagement with their Zimbabwean counterparts following the interception of 33 undocumented minors at the Beitbridge border post.
A week before this interception, some 20 children were stopped from illegally crossing the same border.
The children intercepted this week, aged between four and 15, were stopped on Tuesday during routine and intelligence-driven operations.
At the time, they were travelling in a Zimbabwe-registered minibus taxi without proper documentation. In most cases, the minors were not accompanied by biological parents or legal guardians.
According to a joint statement released by the DSD and BMA on Thursday, preliminary investigations suggest the movement may be linked to organised facilitation networks exploiting vulnerable children through irregular cross-border activities.
Two adult suspects, Zimbabwean nationals, were arrested for allegedly facilitating the illegal movement and will face charges under the Immigration Act. Investigations continue to establish possible links to broader human trafficking or child smuggling syndicates operating along the border.
Upon interception, the BMA activated child protection protocols immediately. The minors were handed over to DSD social workers and child-care practitioners for safety, psychosocial support, individual assessments, family tracing, and appropriate interventions, in compliance with South Africa's Children's Act, 2005 (Act No. 38 of 2005), and international obligations.
As custodian of the Children's Act, DSD ensures care and protection for all children regardless of nationality or immigration status.
Social workers are deployed at major border posts, including Beitbridge, with additional standby officials during festive seasons and school holidays to handle increased child movements.
During engagements with Zimbabwean border authorities and social development agencies, the government aims to share information, verify identities, trace families, and facilitate safe, lawful reunification or repatriation where appropriate. They also seek to strengthen coordinated prevention measures against recurrence, particularly during peak periods.
The recent interception follows another in early January, where over 20 minors were stopped near the Limpopo River close to Beitbridge, bringing the total number of intercepted undocumented minors this year to at least 53.
BMA Commissioner Dr Michael Masiapato said child protection was a national and regional priority and the authority was intensifying law enforcement at vulnerable border areas. It is also enhancing cooperation with regional partners to dismantle criminal networks.
In December 2025, Minister of Social Development Nokuzola Sisisi Tolashe signed a Memorandum of Understanding with her Zimbabwean counterpart under the Bi-National Commission, providing a framework for cross-border social development cooperation.
