Frustrated residents along South Africa’s border with Zimbabwe are calling for the construction of a strong border fence or wall, citing rampant smuggling, violent confrontations, and inadequate resources for soldiers tasked with securing the porous frontier.
The plea comes from communities in the Niani area, where notorious hijacking and escape routes lead directly to crime hotspots used to smuggle stolen goods and vehicles across the Limpopo River into Zimbabwe. The situation is exacerbated by a dilapidated and broken existing fence, particularly in sections leading towards the Kruger National Park.
“They should consider erecting a big wall like they do in other countries. Now look at the old fence. It is completely broken,” said one resident, who pointed out that even contraband moves freely through the area. “The building of the wall will be helpful.”
The demand for increased physical infrastructure follows a series of violent incidents. On November 25th of last year, police reported an exchange of gunfire between suspected criminals and members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) near a village, which resulted in one suspect being fatally wounded. In January, footage went viral showing suspected smugglers hurling explosives and pelting stones at SANDF members.
Community leaders argue that soldiers are outgunned and under-resourced. “We call upon the South African Defence Force to give them equipment, to give them resources to fight those people who are fighting back,” said a community leader, referencing an attack on soldiers by individuals allegedly from Zimbabwe. “We expect that they are the ones who are supposed to protect us as South African citizens.”
Smuggling tactics adapt to conditions. While heavy rains have caused the Limpopo River to overflow, temporarily hindering the smuggling of stolen vehicles, brazen criminals have switched to using speedboats. A section of the river has become a “harbour for boats carrying smuggled goods,” according to observers. Residents of the village report witnessing the smuggling of goods and illegal cigarette trade on a daily basis.
“For now, there’s a bit of a breather in terms of smuggling of vehicles because the Limpopo River is full. But the housebreaking is rife,” explained a resident. “We need to keep smugglers we see all the time at bay.”
Despite repeated efforts to solicit an official response, the South African National Defence Force did not provide comment on the residents’ concerns or the call for enhanced border fortification.
With the SANDF engaged in regular, dangerous interceptions and communities feeling overrun by cross-border crime, the pressure for a more permanent physical barrier along the Limpopo River borderline continues to mount.