Police take over border patrols
Andre Jordaan
15 November 2004
Patrolling a stretch of about 1 200km of dry desert across the Kalahari dunes in temperatures of up to 47ºC daily can be a daunting task.
"It takes dedication and shows loyalty to our country", said Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula, on a visit to Upington in the Northern Cape last week. "We could all learn from the commitment shown by these men."
The minister was referring to the 40 SA Police Service (SAPS) members who have been deployed on the border of Botswana, Namibia and South Africa.
The deployment, which started in September, is part of the government's plans to shift border control from the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) to the police, following completion of the SANDF-SAPS exit and entry strategy for 2004 to 2008.
Nqakulu said border control was a police responsibility, as it involved preventing and combating crime, which was not the function of the defence force.
Nqakula visited the men in the three
units - Middelputs, Rietfontein and Nakop - to inspect their working conditions and living arrangements.
The policemen were deployed in these units after a week-long refresher course covering legislation such as the Immigration Act, detecting impostors, smuggle techniques, crime threat analysis, and driving 4x4 vehicles.
Captain Miya, base commander for Middelputs, said their duties included checking for clues to illegal border crossings. "The law states that people have to use the border gates", Miya said. "If we find people who are crossing illegally, we arrest them."
The units have new air-conditioned tents as sleeping quarters, and recreational facilities complete with pool tables and TV sets. The 4x4 vehicles are also air-conditioned and fitted with fridges.
The Middelputs unit patrols up to McCarthy's Rest and back along the Botswana border, the Rietfontein unit patrols the corner wedged between Botswana and Namibia, while the Nakop unit patrols the
length of the border along the eastern side of Namibia.
Nqakula said he was impressed with how the men had adjusted to their environment, enduring scorching heat most of the time.
One of the members of the Middelputs unit, Samuel Ndwendwe from the East Rand in Gauteng, said that two-and-a-half months could feel extremely long under the hot temperatures.
Currently there are no women in the deployed units, but Captain David Mbambo, section head of border police, said that future units would include women.
Source: BuaNews
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