32 Undocumented Foreigners Found Aboard Bus Near Bloemfontein, SA Debates As Driver Is Investigated
- A bus driver is in hot water after 32 undocumented foreign nationals were found aboard the vehicle, which was travelling from Zimbabwe to Cape Town
- The Border Management Authority (BMA) provided more details about the incident and why the passengers were not discovered earlier
- South Africans took to social media to weigh in on the incident, debating what role the driver played, and whether he should be investigated
Source: Facebook
Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.
FREE STATE – A bus driver is under investigation after 32 undocumented foreign nationals were discovered aboard the vehicle.
The undocumented passengers were discovered on Thursday night when traffic officers stopped a bus on the N1 highway near Bloemfontein during Easter road safety operations. The bus was en route from Zimbabwe to Cape Town.
The driver is now in hot water, as there was no trace of the foreigners when the bus was first stopped at the Beitbridge port of entry.
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Bus was cleared after leaving Beitbridge
Speaking to the media about the incident, Border Management Authority (BMA) Commissioner, Dr Michael Masiapato, said that investigations were underway against the driver. Dr Masiapato noted that when the bus entered the country.
He said officials insisted that the vehicle cleared immigration and weighbridge checks, and all passengers had the required documentation before leaving the port of entry.
“They had all the documentation in terms of the cross-border permit, and of course, all the passengers had documentation as required, and they were processed in the country,” he said.
He added that later, when the bus was intercepted near Bloemfontein, the 32 undocumented passengers were found aboard it. He said that the driver would have to indicate where he picked up the passengers, adding that the driver had to be charged for aiding and abetting according to section 59 of the Immigration Act.
In a separate incident, four other undocumented foreign nationals, including an infant, were also intercepted in the Free State. The Mozambican nationals were intercepted at the Verkeerdevlei Toll Gate.
Source: Twitter
Foreign nationals also a problem in KwaZulu-Natal
The issues of foreign nationals in the country are not limited to the Free State alone. KwaZulu-Natal Transport Department spokesperson, Ndabezinhle Sibiya, indicated they had also experienced several foreign nationals on the road. Sibiya said that they caught foreign nationals driving without proper documents and using fake driving licences during the Easter period.
South Africans weigh in on Bloemfontein bus incident
Social media users weighed in on the news that the driver was in hot water after the passengers were discovered aboard the bus. While some speculated how they got on board, others defended the driver, saying it was not his responsibility to check whether passengers had documents before he let them on board.
Portia Ndlovu hilariously suggested:
“They drop them off before the border gate, and they ride a crocodile and meet the bus on the other side of the border, those ones.”
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Keaobaka Milton agreed:
“The bus might have dropped them somewhere, and they crossed on foot, then got into the bus on the other side. If that's so, he has to be questioned.”
Meshack Wa Hlungs speculated:
“The driver had an agreement to pick them up after crossing the border. They were not part of the checked immigrants. The driver is a solution to the puzzle.”
Bhuxeka somnandi Phakathi said:
“The bus was cleared. Meaning all those passengers were not on board. They probably picked them up on the way.”
Moloko Leo Modiba stated:
“The driver can only ask for a passport before crossing the border. How can he ask for documents in Pretoria or Johannesburg? He doesn't have the authority.”
Wellington AB Banda agreed:
“The driver's job is to drive the bus, not to check passports. Border control is responsible for that.”
Fortunate Fortue Chimuka agreed:
“Any driver can pick and drop passengers at any point without asking for any documents or papers. Nothing wrong with that. Just detain the undocumented ones and leave the driver alone.”
Khanyisa Boundaries asked:
“How did a bus pass the border? Hay, I don't trust authorities. They are weak. In the media, they talk like they are doing the job, but behind the scenes, bribe, bribe, bribe.”
Other stories about foreign nationals caught travelling into the country
Briefly News reported on other stories where foreign nationals were caught either entering or exiting the country. There was even a case of foreign nationals transporting medicine out of the country.
- The Welkom K9 officers were behind the arrests of 15 illegal immigrants who were travelling on a bus in 2023.
- 28 undocumented foreigners were among 51 people who were found aboard a truck in the Free State in December 2024.
- Limpopo police opened an investigation after medication was found at the scene of an accident that left several foreigners dead.
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Source: Briefly News
