Business as usual at border despite crime
AFTER an almost two-month investigation, the Manguzi community along the South Africa-Mozambique border are in the dark over its final findings.
The high-level joint team probing the June 16 fatal shooting that left two Mozambican border police dead has handed the report to defence ministers of the two countries.
Speaking to journalists in Tshwane on the sidelines of a Women’s Day parade on Thursday, Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula said an investigation had been concluded but she could not divulge the findings before they were presented to President Cyril Ramaphosa.
However, most stakeholders along the borderline have no clue about the report, saying that they hoped they would be engaged when it is finally made public.
Micah Ngubane, chairperson of the Jozini Victims Forum, a structure that was formed by residents living along the border to track and bring back stolen vehicles from Mozambique, said that they were not aware that the probe had been completed.
“Well, I have not heard anything about that report. While one would be happy to read it, our concern for now is that the cross-border crime we complained about has not been completely eradicated. Our cars are being stolen and smuggled across the porous border line,” Ngubane said.
He added that he was happy that the national police commissioner was mulling bringing in a new specialised team to monitor the area.
Ngubane also said the fears expressed that their Mozambican neighbours were going to be hostile and turn their backs on South Africans had not materialised.
“I recently visited the border and crossed to the other side and I would be lying if I say the situation is tense. Everything is normal,” he said.
When the shooting happened, the local Ngwanase border taxi association quickly intervened and met their Mozambican counterparts to ease the tensions.
The plan has worked as both parties have agreed to leave the matter to their governments.
Speaking to Independent Media, the association’s chairperson, Kenneth Mlambo, said everything was smooth on the ground. He said the warm relations between the two countries cannot be easily destroyed.
“Life is normal here, they come to this side and we go to Mozambique without any problem.
“The border officials are friendly as usual,” Mlambo said.
Ngubane and Mlambo’s sentiments were echoed by Juda Mthethwa, a councillor in the uMhlabuyalingana municipality who chairs the uMhlabuyalingana Society Against Crime.
He said that it was business as usual along the border despite the problem of cross-border crime.
Spokesperson for the SA National Defence Force, Brigadier Mafi Mgobhozi, could not be reached for comment via his cellphone yesterday.