A smuggler maps out how he gets undocumented immigrants into SA

City Press – 18 January 2023

Thulani Mujuru* became a transporter of both goods and immigrants, documented or undocumented, across the Beitbridge Border Post.

He realised that he could assist his fellow Zimbabweans seeking access to South Africa – but who did not have the required documents to do so – to live their dream of working in the rainbow nation.

Speaking to City Press in the Johannesburg CBD, the self-proclaimed entrepreneur opened up about how his business of assisting undocumented immigrants cross the border had given him access to the money he never had, which he was “willing to take risks for”.

The Zimbabwe national shared:

From Zimbabwe to South Africa, I charge R2 000 per person. That R2000 includes the crossing fees charged by law enforcement and officials who must be bribed at different points of the journey.

The 38-year-old explained that while he received customers through word of mouth with bookings made telephonically, he relied a great deal on border-jumping guides called Impisi, who know which routes are safe to travel on, and on which days and at which times the routes have police or soldiers patrolling them. This helps to ensure his “customers” successfully gain entry into South Africa.

He told City Press:

The customer gives me R2 000. I then arrange with Impisi, who I pay R300 or R350 per person and he is the one who guides my customers, taking them from the beginning of the journey until I meet up with them in South Africa, and they have successfully evaded any obstacles.

Mujuru told City Press that there were usually three possible routes illegal immigrants could use when embarking on their illicit journey, explaining that each of these three “safer” routes required payments to those with the necessary powers to either grant or deny the desperate immigrants entry into South Africa.

“The safari lodge route – where people will travel through the Limpopo River; the new bridge route – which connects South Africa and Zimbabwe; and the old bridge route with the railway line – the Alfred Beit Road Bridge.”

He said each of these routes had various points “where police, soldiers or security officials had to be paid, adding that some migrants who cannot or want to avoid paying bribes in cash opt to cross the river”.

Mujuru clarified: 

Everything starts on the Zimbabwean side of the border at two specific garages, right at the Beitbridge border – either the Caltex or Engen garage – where people who need to cross the border, illegally or legally, meet me, for instance, as their transporter.

“Those who cross illegally and I then meet our Impisi for that day at a certain point of the Limpopo River. The Impisi tells us which route we will be using, and I give him his money.”

The routes

According to the transporter, the way things are done varies from trip to trip:

Sometimes I as a driver could decide to go with my people the illegal way to keep an eye on them and a second driver will wait for us on the South African side, or I will be the one who legally enters South Africa using my passport and then wait at the Shell garage on the South African side.

Asked about which Shell garage he was referring to, Mujuru answered: “There is only one, just after the border.”

The first point, which is still on the Zimbabwe side, will have soldiers, police and maybe security officials. That is at the river, where one’s journey will begin.

“The Impisi negotiates payment to these law enforcers to be allowed to continue with their journey with those crossing the border illegally. Most of the time, the Impisi will be charged R100 per person, which I give to him to give to law enforcement officials.”

“Once that R100 is paid, the journey continues. There is always a possibility of finding unexpected police who we will need to bribe, so the journey is unpredictable. But with each step, we part with something,” Mujuru said, adding that he tried to ensure that he “did at least four trips a week for the money”.

Migrants travelling from Zimbabwe use this botched border fence to enter South Africa. The fence cost taxpayers R37-Million:

He explained that should the safari lodge route be used to enter South Africa, those making the trip would travel across the Limpopo River on makeshift pontoons made from tubes and poles and would have to pay extra to those steering the pontoons.

Once this amount is paid, migrants and their goods are shipped until they reach the South African side of the river, where they will have to make their way through a veld.

Mujuru explained:

In all instances, customers will then make their way through the bushes on the South African side with the intention of safely reaching the Shell garage, which is before Musina, and meet their transporter there.

The transporter and his customers will then begin the unpredictable journey into the “heart of Johannesburg”.

According to Mujuru, throughout this journey, he and his customers could be stopped by police “who we then have to pay them so they let us go”.

“The drive takes over five hours because we might get stopped a lot.”

What experts and officials say 

According to immigration specialist at Webber Wentzel Bianca Rutherfoord-Jones, South African border officials have a difficult job monitoring foreign nationals wishing to enter the country.

“The borders at our neighbouring countries are currently an issue and we have seen that the minister of the department of home affairs is attempting to tighten the borders and root out corruption at the borders,” Rutherfoord-Jones told City Press.

“The home affairs minister has spoken out about corruption in the department and we consider this to be a major weakness in addressing the issue of foreign nationals entering and remaining in the country illegally.”

Meanwhile, spokesperson for the minister of home affairs Siya Qoza told City Press that for the 2021/22 financial year, the Maseru, Lebombo and Beitbridge ports of entry recorded the highest number of deportations, respectively.

Mujuru said: 

I don’t think people are scared of crossing the border illegally because money is what talks. People know that those officials are hungry for money. So, you bring the money, and off you go.

How much is it worth?

While Mujuru charges R2 000 per person for illegal entry into South Africa, he explained that he was left with less than half of that at the end of each trip:

What I am left with by the time I reach my destination is probably about R500. It’s not worth it, but I have no option. This is a chance I have to take because it is better than nothing.

“Six years ago, when I started, I charged R1 500. So there has been an increase of R500 in six years and the only reason there was an increase was because of Covid-19. Many of us do this and the more you charge, the more customers will approach others who offer the same service. The competition is high.”

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