Communities along the Limpopo River outside Musina on the border of Zimbabwe and South Africa say there is a seasonal spike in illegal river crossings, when the river is dry. Some areas serve as a safe haven for smugglers and undocumented migrants.
‘Zimbabweans on the other side of the river receive smuggled goods [that are] transported by donkey carts and vehicles to various villages in Zimbabwe,” Malindi Kwinda told Daily Maverick as he sat at the Ha Tshirundu settlement on the South African side of the border with Zimbabwe.
“We don’t mind at all because here, at this crossing of Tshirundu, it is mostly groceries and other basics such as bathing soap, washing soap, cooking oil, rice and clothes that are crossing over.”
Kwinda, the local headman of the small South African settlement, which lies less than a kilometre from the Limpopo River that separates the two countries, said now that the river was seasonally dry, illegal crossings and smuggling had increased, something that will surge as we move into the festive season.
While there are several other illegal crossing points along the Zimbabwe-SA border, starting from Maroi to the Gumbu area, and “Gate One and Two”, the crossing near Ha Tshirundu is one of the hotspots on the South African National Defence Force’s (SANDF’s) radar.
After a visit to the Musina border with the SANDF, Daily Maverick previously reported on the challenges the SANDF faced when patrolling the porous boundary. One such challenge is villages like Ha Tshirundu, which was established informally and serves as a haven for smugglers and undocumented migrants seeking to cross into South Africa.
Kwinda detailed how the village served as a stop for migrants, who often sleep at Ha Tshirundu when they make their journey into South Africa, and criminal smugglers known as goma gomas, who rest at the settlement while the goods they are smuggling, mostly groceries and essential items, are offloaded and transported into Zimbabwe.
The goods are mainly transported by vehicle from nearby Musina to the riverside crossing and from there they are moved across the river either by foot or using donkey carts.
As this unfolds, Zimbabwean vendors sell fruit and other refreshments along the river banks. One of these women is Mary Moyo.
Mary Moyo is a vendor who sells refreshments on the banks of the Limpopo River. (Photo: Rudzani Tshivhase)
“We target smugglers and foreigners who use the spot to cross. We sell refreshments to them. It is very hot as you can feel. The heat is high at 42℃ today and they need refreshments to keep going. Even soldiers do support us, buying this and that,” Moyo said.
Zim hyperinflation spurs smuggling
While the smuggling of groceries into Zimbabwe breaks several laws, for many Zimbabwean citizens it is a means for survival in a nation contending with an economic downturn and hyperinflation which has made buying essential goods extremely expensive.
This is evidenced by the number of crossings at the Beitbridge Port of Entry, a hub of movement as Zimbabwean nationals cross in and out of the country carrying goods purchased in South Africa. A Zimbabwean woman named Milicent spoke to Daily Maverick as we visited the border post. Perched securely on her head was a bag containing maize meal and other groceries she had just bought from Musina.
“I come to South Africa once a month to buy food and other things this side. It is so much cheaper. Back home it’s either we don’t have stock or it is very expensive. It would be easier to buy in Zimbabwe, but we have no choice. It takes me eight hours to get from my home to get here and after we have bought our things we have to sleep here at the border because there is no accommodation,” she said.
While Milicent crossed into South Africa legally to buy her goods, for many people it is too expensive to do so. Responding to questions from Daily Maverick, the SANDF said smuggling illegal products and consumables, such as alcohol, cigarettes and other items was a way to avoid custom duties.
A smuggler near Ha Tshirundu who chose to remain anonymous said they smuggled goods because of hunger and a lack of jobs both in South Africa and Zimbabwe.
“We are not killing and robbing anyone. From Musina to the river, people are charged according to the size of the goods he or she is transporting. Of course, in the process, there are some criminals called Magoma-goma who rob people [in] the bush,” he said.
The goma gomas represent a more nefarious side of the smuggling network between Zimbabwe and South Africa. They are hardened criminals who often smuggle cigarettes, vehicles and even people between the two countries.
The Beitbridge border with Zimbabwe, outside Musina. (Photo: Rudzani Tshivhase)
SANDF battalion commander Lieutenant Colonel Mzoxolo Ketsekile, the leader of Operation Corona, highlighted the threat that goma gomas posed.
“[Goma gomas] take undocumented people across the borderline, once they have crossed they will rob or even rape women knowing that these are undocumented persons will not report the crime to the South African Police Service (SAPS) as they will be deported back to their country,” said Ketsekile.
He said goma gomas also smuggled copper, ivory, explosives and drugs. The explosives are allegedly used in ATM bombings and illegal mining activities.
SANDF ramps up patrols
Ha Tshirundu headman Kwinda said the mushrooming of illegal crossing points along the border was mainly due to the lack of a fence.
“We work very well with the police and soldiers deployed here. They are working very hard, but there is little they can do and the fence is either not there or riddled with holes,” said Kwinda.
While the SANDF faces various challenges with securing the vast northern border, it plans to ramp up patrols throughout the festive season.
There are several roadblocks on the small border road. Here, drivers are interrogated about their destinations and searched for smuggled items.
The SANDF is also using drone technology to collect data in the bush and along the river, documenting the movement of vehicles and people.
Since Operation Corona began on 1 September, 154 people have been arrested attempting to cross into South Africa illegally. Additionally, illicit goods such as cigarettes, marijuana, vehicles and drugs worth just over R33-million have been seized.
A farmer who asked to remain anonymous for fear of victimisation complimented the soldiers working on the border.
“The soldiers are working hard trying to stop the illegal movement of undocumented foreigners. The challenge is the lack of a proper fence. In 2020 the government erected a 40km low-quality fence which cost taxpayers almost R40-million. The fence has been damaged and even stolen in some instances,” said the farmer. DM
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