BMA Project Management Office

1. BMA Project Management Office To inform on the status of readiness of Ports of Entry/Borderline for the 2016/17 Festive Period. 2018/19 FESTIVE SEASON OPERATIONAL PLAN FOR THE SOUTH AFRCAN BORDER ENVIRONMENT DECEMBER 2018

2. Outline • Purpose • Background • Review of the Situation • Operational Concept • Operational Support • Infrastructure Requirements/Improvements • Media and Communications Protocol • Command and Control • Conclusion

3. 1. Purpose of Briefing To brief the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs on the operational readiness of the Border Environment (Ports of Entry/Borderline) for the 2018/19 Festive Season.

4. 2. Background South Africa is surrounded by six countries in the region and the movement of people and goods across borders is happening quite freely for different reasons that vary from cross border employment and for business purposes as well academic and education reasons. This movement is facilitated by a large number of Ports of Entry and the numbers who are traveling are cyclically influenced by the reasons for travelling. It is for this reason that we observe increases in movements during the year and it is therefore imperative that ports as well as borderline activities are well prepared to execute and facilitate traveler movement but also mitigate illegal movements and transgressions during the period planned for. Collaboration, cooperation, coordination and integration are core values that should define the roll-out, implementation and execution of border control mandate. In December 2014, Cabinet resolved that the Border Control Operational Coordinating Committee (BCOCC) responsibilities should be relocated from the South African Revenue Service (SARS) to the Department of Home Affairs (DHA). Since then, the BMA Project Management Office has assumed all border management responsibilities, including coordinating a consolidated border management Festive Plan.

5. 3. Review of the Situation One such time is the peak periods towards the end of the year also known as the festive season, when the movement of people and goods into and out of South Africa increases drastically. In preparation for the effective and efficient facilitation of movement during the 2018/19 Festive Period (Dec-Jan), a consolidated 2018/19 Festive Season Operational Plan for the border environment has been prepared by all relevant stakeholders. All stakeholders at ports of entry and partners from neighbouring countries agreed to a comprehensive operational plan to support the facilitation of all movement into and out of South Africa. One of the critical success factors for the sound execution of Ports of Entry Services over the period under discussion is proper planning and preparations for the services to be delivered. There are a number of dependencies and it is a critical requirement to ensure that these dependencies are carefully addressed in time to ensure effective service delivery at ports.

6. 3. Review of the situation: Movement Statistics

7. MOVEMENT STATISTICS 3. Review of the situation: Movement Statistics

8. MOVEMENT STATISTICS 3. Review of the situation: Movement Statistics

9. MOVEMENT STATISTICS 3. Review of the situation: Movement Statistics

10. 4. Operational Concept • Central to the success of operations during the peak periods is the need for a comprehensive plan to support port operations, but more importantly a sound execution of the plan and an operational concept that is underpinned by a risk-based; and intelligence driven operational philosophy. • It will allow ports to execute the following missions: • Delivery of services at Ports of Entry where only legitimate people and goods are allowed to enter South Africa. • Secure Ports of Entry where: • Potential violators are deterred. • Threats and inadmissible people, goods and conveyances are intercepted. • Legitimate trade and travel are facilitated. • Operations and outcomes are consistent. • The operational vision is to secure the border environment where only legitimate people and goods are allowed to enter/depart South Africa.

11. 4. Operational Concept (Phases) Stage 2 – Execution of Approved Operational Plan. Phase stretches from 5th Dec 2018 till 09th Jan 2019 and includes the operations that are to be conducted daily in line with the approved plan. In addition, it is imperative that adequate and appropriate responses are put in place to address all risks by means of contingency plans. Stage 1 - Planning of 2018/19 Festive Season Operations: The phase ends on the 4th of Dec 2018 and includes the completion of individual Operational Plans for Ports of Entry that consist of: Request for Extension of Operating Hours – completed and approved. Infrastructure Requirements - approved. Human Resources/Additional staff Requirements – in process. Consolidate Operational Plans at National level – in process. Briefings to all relevant bodies – on going. Stage 3 – Demobilisation and withdrawal from deployment areas. From 10th of Jan 2019 until completed and includes the wrapping up of operations: Debriefing of 2018//19 Festive Operations. Withdrawal from deployments where applicable.

12. 4. Operational Concept (Departmental Tasks)

13. Operational Concept (Departmental Tasks)

14. 4. Operational Concept (Departmental Tasks)

15. 5. Operational Support • Extension of Operational Hours In preparation for the 2018/19 Festive season, The Minister of Home Affairs has approved the extension of operational hours for the below listed Ports of Entry. The extension shall be from 5 December 2018 – 09 January 2019. Stakeholders at ports of entry and the countries sharing borders with the Republic of South Africa have been engaged and agreed on the dates to effect the extended operational hours reflected below. The extended hours shall come into effect as indicated and the Minister of Home Affairs has the prerogative to withdraw the extension of hours if necessary. It is the responsibility of port managers to ensure that the extension of hours as reflected in their respective operational plans is enforced within the broader approved time frames.

18. 5. Operational Support • Human Resources Required/Support to Operations for Festive A critical vulnerability in port operations when operational hours are extended is the requirement for deployment of additional staff at ports of entry. Department of Home Affairs (Total number of additional DHA staff: 425)

19. Department of Home Affairs (continued)

20. South African Police Services (SAPS)

21. Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF)

22. Department of Health (DoH) Total number of additional DoH staff: 3

23. South African Revenue Services (SARS) Total number of additional SARS staff: 119

24. “Operation Corona” SANDF – Borderline Deployments (15xInfantry Coy’s)

25. Coastal Deployments • Maritime Operations (Operation PHAKISA): • The activities for the Maritime Environment have been planned by the initiated project in the coastal areas with a specific focus in the Northern, Western & Eastern Cape and Kwazulu Natal. These activities are included in the Operational Concept for “Operation Phakisa”, under the leadership of the Department of Environmental Affairs. • Operational Concept: To conduct stop and search, crime prevention, compliance inspections and investigation operations as well as observation posts at identified areas focusing on: • Harbours, launching pads and slipways; • Enforcement actions through compliance inspections of marine and coastal legislation; Immigration legislation; Policing to prevent contrabands and smuggling; • Inspection of vessels for documentation and cargo; diamond concessions and fishing; • Human smuggling; • Yacht basins and smaller fishing harbours; • Rummagging of vessels; and • Oil pollution.

26. 6. Infrastructure Requirements/Improvements Request for improvement for infrastructure was submitted to DPW and confirmation has been received to what is possible. The Ports of Entry that will benefit from infrastructure improvements are:

27. 7. Media & Communication Protocol Department of Home Affairs Communication Unit will be responsible for Media Liaison regarding all Joint Operations matters related to the 2018/19 Festive season at Ports of Entry. The BMA PMO Office and DHA Stakeholder Management Office will provide support to the Department of Home Affairs Communication Unit regarding all Joint Operations matters. Each Department’s Communication Unit will be responsible to respond to specific issues related to its mandate. Media Release/Statement on Festive Operations to be conducted by the Acting DG Home Affairs.

28. 8. Command & Control In 2015/16, a total of 17 organs of state entered into a BMA Multi-Party Agreement on Enhanced Border Coordination. This Agreement outlines the institutional arrangements for border coordination and management in the transitional period towards the establishment of the BMA. The coordination under DHA for the 2018/19 Festive Season is informed and regulated by the agreed Institutional Arrangements where both DHA and the South African Police Service (SAPS) lead the Port Management Committee.

29. 9. CONCLUSION • South African border environment is perceived to be characterised by poor controls and weak management that adversely affects the territorial integrity of the country. • High volume of people and goods movement will occur over the Festive Season. It is this movement that presents the following security dynamics and risks: • Fraudulent travel documents; • Illegal stamping of travel documents; • Personnel Integrity Challenges; • Undocumented persons; • Fraudulent Documents; • Poor Access Control and Runners; • Challenges with Clearing Agents; • Challenges with pedestrians; bicycles and equestrian riders; and • Disruptions in the Port of Entry. • The 2018/19 Operational Plan has identified specific actions and interventions to address the above border threats and risks. Thank you