South Africa’s Border Management Authority (BMA) has begun using drones and body camera systems to combat illegal migration, smuggling, and human trafficking.
With the deployment of this advanced technology, 6,253 undocumented immigrants attempting to enter or leave the country illegally were apprehended. In the same period in 2024, 3,841 people were caught — a striking increase that highlights the effectiveness of the new system.
Among those apprehended, 2,019 were Zimbabwean, 1,921 were Basotho (Lesotho nationals), and 1,143 were Mozambican. The remaining 1,143 were Swati nationals and individuals of other nationalities.
The new security system includes four drones and 40 new body cameras.
DRONES CAN EVEN FLY UNDERGROUND
The drones are equipped with night vision cameras and advanced thermal detection technologies. They are also powered by artificial intelligence, enabling them to identify heat sources, vehicles, and moving individuals.
They can fly without GPS, operate under extreme weather conditions, and even navigate underground environments, reaching speeds of up to 43 kilometers per hour.
Despite being highly effective, the technology is expensive. For this reason, defense and national security analyst Ricardo Texeira recommends a “wall of sensors” approach.
This system combines ground surveillance radars and electro-optical sensors to detect and classify movement across wide areas.
South Africa may take significant steps in the future to strengthen its borders against illegal migration using these methods.