By BAKANG MOKOTO
6 April 2026 – The Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs said it welcomed the interception of a cross-border bus by the Free State Department of Community Safety, Roads and Transport on 3 April 2026. According to the Portfolio Committee, the bus, which was travelling from Zimbabwe to Cape Town, was found to be carrying 32 undocumented foreign nationals in addition to 43 passengers who had been duly processed at the Beitbridge Port of Entry in accordance with all prescripts and procedures.
The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs, Mosa Chabane said it is alleged that the 32 undocumented passengers were picked up after the bus had crossed into South Africa, specifically in Makhado and Johannesburg. Chabane said the interception highlights the need for stricter enforcement and accountability within the cross-border transport sector.
“We commend the provincial department for its vigilance and decisive action. This interception exposes serious violations that undermine the integrity of our immigration system and border controls.
“We call on the Border Management Authority (BMA) to set an example by suspending the bus operator, Rimbi Travel and Tours, pending investigation on how the 32 undocumented passengers got to be in the bus,” he said.
Chabane reiterated the importance of effecting consequence management to send a strong message to operators who deliberately flout the law, saying that failure to act decisively will only embolden non-compliance and weaken the country’s border management systems. Furthermore, he called on a coordinated and integrated approach among law enforcement agencies, including Immigration Officers, the South African Police Service and metro police departments, to address the presence of undocumented foreign nationals within the country.
“An integrated law enforcement approach is critical to ensure that undocumented individuals within our borders are identified and processed in line with the law. This requires ongoing collaboration and information-sharing between all relevant authorities.
“We indicate that the committee will, in the next parliamentary term, propose a joint meeting with its sister committee responsible for policing matters to explore sustainable and coordinated interventions,” said Chabane.
Picture: 32 undocumented foreign nationals found in a bus
The Guardian 