South Africa Builds Concrete Wall To Keep Out Mozambicans

A row of lorries at the border between the two countries.Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

South Africa says the border zone is a crime hotspotImage caption: South Africa says the border zone is a crime hotspot
Concrete barriers are being built along a stretch of the South Africa-Mozambique border to prevent people crossing over to steal and smuggle vehicles.

South African authorities have budgeted close to $2.7m (£2.1m) to build the wall. It’s made up of three sections:

An 8km (5 mile) barrier near Tembe Elephant Park
An 8km-long stretch near iSimangaliso Wetland Park
A 9km wall from the western boundary of Tembe Elephant Park towards Pongolo River
Building works on the Tembe Elephant Park section “are currently underway,” according to a joint briefing by the South African government and KwaZulu-Natal province.

“The impact of the project has been positively received by the community and the South African National Defense Force,” it added.

That the barrier is already foiling crime was emphasised by a failed attempt to drive a stolen SUV over the barrier using “iron ladders”. It appears the ladders buckled, causing its drivers to set the vehicle on fire to destroy evidence.

According to Defenceweb, there are 15 companies of troops safeguarding South Africa’s borders, particularly “high-risk borders” with Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Lesotho.

BBC/Jide Johnson.