The multiplicity of challenges faced by South African borders: A case of Limpopo Province

• Author: John Mamokhere,Khensani R. Chauke
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/pa.2123
• Published date: 01 August 2020
• Date: 01 August 2020

ACADEMIC PAPER

The multiplicity of challenges faced by South African borders:

A case of Limpopo Province

John Mamokhere

1

|Khensani R. Chauke

2

1

Department of Research Administration and

Development, University of Limpopo,

Mankweng, South Africa

2

Department of Public Administration,

University of Limpopo, Mankweng, South

Africa

Correspondence

John Mamokhere, Department of Research

Administration and Development, University

of Limpopo, Mankweng, South Africa.

Email: johnmamokhere@gmail.com

Abstract

Continently, African countries are gradually facing overwhelming tasks of managing

their borders in ways that safeguard their national sovereignty, ensures that they

are bridges rather than barriers for cross-border cooperation and regional integra-

tion, prevents illegal entries, xenophobic attack andexiting of people and goods

while allowing natural movement of goods and people. In this manner, South Africa

and other African countries are confronted with different challenges, which impact

negatively on the economy and political arena. Therefore, the article aimed at

examining the multiplicity of challenges faced by South African borders with spe-

cific reference to Limpopo Province. The article has determined the number of

aggravating factors towards porous borders which contribute to the multiplicity of

challenges, inter alia;an increase in corruption, porous borderlines and weak man-

agement systems. A desktop research approach was applied to collects historical

materials to validate the arguments that African countries are faced with an epi-

demic xenophobic attack due to poor maintenance and control of national borders

and security system. As a result, the article recommends that the government ought

to intensify the visibility of South African Police Services on the borders to help

curb crimes and illegal immigrants. The article also recommends effective out-

sourcing of certain government functions to the private sector, effective use of

technology for de tections of risks and deployment ofskilled, experie nced and trust-

worthy or ethical officials. In conclusion, this article outlines some of the solutions

that may be applied to address the porous borders management challenges experi-

enced at the South African borders.

1|INTRODUCTION

The Limpopo province consists of eight (8) border posts linking

South Africa to Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique (Department

of Transport, 2018). According to Okumu (2011), African countries

are increasingly facing devastating tasks of management their borders

in ways that secure their international sovereignty/integrity, ensures

that they are bridges rather than barriers for cross-border cooperation

and Regional Integration. Further indicating that the government is

faced with the overwhelming role to prevent illegal entries and exiting

of people and goods, while allowing smooth movement of goods and

people, allows relatives to visit their next of kin while holding criminal

subsistence and other activities such as drug and human traffickers,

terrorists.

The challenges faced by African states in administrating their

border posts are compounded by globalization that is shredding

down traditional borders through advancement in the use of tech-

nology (fourth Industrial Revolution) and transformation of interna-

tional relations. At the moment, crimes are committed without

crossing borders, and huge amounts of goods are sold through

Received: 18 September 2019Revised: 26 February 2020Accepted: 9 March 2020

DOI: 10.1002/pa.2123

J Public Affairs. 2020;20:e2123.wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/pa© 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd1of7

https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.2123