DA voices Concern over Lesotho Border Security |
| Drakensberg - Security | ||||
| Saturday, 08 August 2009 01:22 | ||||
|
Democratic Alliance representatives visit Lesotho border near Clarens, Golden Gate and Fouriesburg and raise concern over lack of security. While researching the state of border security, dagga smuggling and stock theft in Lesotho for an article which will soon be published on this site, I stumbled onto the recent bit of news that David Maynier and his deputy James Lorimer, from the Democratic Alliance, visited the border near Golden Gate, Clarens and Fouriesburg in the eastern Free State on Sunday, Jul 19th. They raised concern over the fact that the border fence was missing and about the problems associated with a general lack of border security. Read this article for further details. I like that fact that more people are speaking out about this. In recent times the responsibility of the border control was shifted from the national defence force (SANDF) to the south African police (SAPS). The fact that SAPS is planning on spending more on "VIP Protection Services" (R380 004 000) than on "Borderline Security" (R224 969 000) for this financial year is not very reassuring, given the shocking rate of cross-border drug trafficking, stock theft and associated illegal arms possession. My understanding is that there is a group of less than 20 individuals forming a special border police unit that are responsible for patrolling the mountainous parts of the border which the uKhahlamba Drakensberg is a part of. Can someone please tell me why it is commonplace for hikers to casually trade stories of encounters with the dagga smugglers and huge donkey trains heading through the Drakensberg into South Africa, yet we hear so little officially reported on this? I encountered a band of about 25 smugglers just recently, a relatively short distance into Lesotho from the escarpment edge. They had more dagga stashed there than they could carry in one go and were preparing to run this across the border. Um, excuse me, there are lots of armed smugglers carrying tonnes of dagga through a World Heritage Site and one of South Africa’s prime tourist destinations! What’s wrong with this picture?{mos_fb_discuss:2}
|
||||
We went climbing in the Injisuthi area this weekend. On Saturday night, while on the contour path between Centenary Hut and Corner pass, we saw a train of lights on the path leading from the hut down to Fergy's Cave. They were regularly spaced, and simply kept coming over the hill. We counted between 15 and 20. The large number, the nature of the lights (orange light and casting no spots), and the sparse formation led us to the conclusion that it had to be a smuggling train.
Then, Monday night while camping in Leslie's pass, we saw a similiar train in the same area. It looked like a busy highway at night!
Would they be active in such a relatively remote and difficult area?
Have to agree that having more SANDF patrols and camps in the Berg is not necessarily any better. They did slow down the cattle rustling and apprehended some smugglers, though it seems the smugglers largely ran circles around them. A difficult task in the best of circumstances. But I do think it's better to apprehend smugglers at the bottom of the valleys and foothills where the smuggling trails converge, rather than trying to chase in them in mountainous terrain.
The SANDF did make an unfortunate negative environmental impact (and never mind the fact that domsmooth and myself were refused entry to one of their caves once during a massive thunderstorm!), but at least they were out there - which is more than can be said about the local police, who seem largely apathetic or even involved themselves. My understanding is that the special border unit is more serious and motivated about the problem. Still, I have yet to encounter them or the Lesotho mounted police on the escarpment.
Not sure if KZN Wildlife want such a register or not, but any irregularities and issues should definitely be reported to them anyway (just ask to speak to the officer at the end of your hike, or phone them afterwards). This forum should also be used to report stuff like that, which serves to collaborate information, and, so that all readers are aware of this, I do at times inform KZN Wildlife about some of the issues that are reported here.
I know that they are undertaking a detailed environmental assessment of caves and trails in some areas, though I'm unsure of the progress.
Blog Menu
