The South Africa – Zimbabwe border fence that was constructed at a total cost of R 37 million to protect against the influx of Zimbabweans has been called a joke by border jumpers and smugglers.
The smugglers revealed that they take only 5 minutes to cut the fence to smuggle goods and people in to South Africa.
Times Live made a trip to Beitbridge and interviewed some of the smugglers. “This is not a fence,” laughed Busani Sibanda, moments after crossing the Limpopo River into SA.
“This thing doesn’t even take me five minutes to cut through. We make big holes so we can get suitcases with cigarettes through and small ones so we can get people and groceries through.”
Soldiers manning the border have also expressed their dissatisfaction with the works that were done on the border fence. They admitted they are failing to keep Zimbabwean smugglers out. They are constantly discovering holes on the fence as Zimbabweans are flocking to South Africa.
Magwa Construction was awarded the contract through the presidential declaration of a ‘state of emergency.’ The company did not go through the normal tendering process. The fence is stretching for the 40km and is 1.8m high. It consists of six rolls of coiled razor wire and a razor wire grid.
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Zimbabweans are crossing the border to buy basic needs. Due to the lockdown food is now in shortage and prices have almost doubled. Some of the border jumpers are women who cross to buy food for their families. Some men are also into the smuggling business as they help new comers to cross the border and they also buy goods in Musina on behalf of their customers. If caught the smugglers are deported back to Zimbabwe where they face hunger and starvation.