Senior officials from South Africa’s Border Management Authority (BMA) have identified a critical lack of resources and outdated technology as primary reasons for the escalating smuggling of narcotics and illicit goods through the Port of Durban.
The admission follows a high-level delegation visit to the port, where BMA Commissioner Michael Masiapato briefed the media on the immense challenges facing law enforcement agencies. He cited the port’s enormous volume of traffic—an estimated 4,500 ships annually—as a key factor making it difficult to detect illegal activity.
Commissioner Masiapato pointed to recent major drug busts as evidence of both the problem and the ongoing efforts to combat it. He referenced a recent seizure of narcotics worth hundreds of millions of rand, uncovered through multidisciplinary intelligence operations. In a separate incident about a year ago, cocaine valued at over R70 million was discovered in a container originating from Brazil.
Despite these successes, the Commissioner conceded there are “serious gaps” in the port’s ability to prevent such crimes.
“[We] are a bit in an old technology from a scanning point of view,” Masiapato stated. He emphasized that investment in “very robust latest technology” for scanning is essential to efficiently process the large volumes of goods and intercept contraband.
To address these systemic issues, the BMA detailed several initiatives. The authority has partnered with other law enforcement bodies, including the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), to improve port functionality.
A significant project is the “single window” work being developed with the South African Revenue Service (SARS). This initiative, supported by the World Customs Organization, aims to automate numerous processes at the port.
“The single window context is meant to automate a lot of processes at the port level from a border management point of view,” Masiapato explained. The goal is to ensure activities are “handled seamlessly across the various organs of state,” thereby introducing greater efficiency into the value chain.
In a move to bolster internal security and oversight, the BMA has also begun deploying drones at some ports to constantly monitor the conduct of its officials.
The resource constraints are further highlighted by staffing levels. The organization revealed it is currently operating with just 2,500 employees tasked with guarding at least 71 ports of entry across the country, nine of which are seaports.
The briefing underscored a critical national security challenge: securing the gates of Africa’s busiest port against sophisticated criminal networks with limited manpower and outdated tools.
