Times Of Swaziland: COSTLY BILL FOR CRIME

COSTLY BILL FOR CRIME
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BY LINDELWA MALINGA on 23/03/2017 07:58:00


Our borders have been labelled as highly porous with criminal activity. This is
troubling our neighbours to such an extent that a ‘Trump wall’ is now being
considered along parts of the Swaziland and Mozambican borders near Jozini and
KwaZulu Natal since all other cross-border crime prevention measures seem to be
failing.
Reports emerging from South African media suggest that the crime situation is so
bad it prompted South African President Jacob Zuma to visit the area last
Tuesday. Zuma’s spokesperson said the visit was part of efforts aimed at
fighting cross-border crime that is rampant in the area.
The KwaZulu Natal Finance MEC Belinda Scott has said they were tired of having
people, including tourists, getting killed and attacked from vehicle hijacking
and stock theft.
The Kingdom has also been cited as having a city, Manzini that is a haven for
International crime kingpins who have become so sophisticated that they are
supplying shops with fake cosmetics and counterfeit drugs.  As if to confirm
these allegations a E20.6 million consignment of sex pills allegedly destined
for the black market in Swaziland was confiscated at OR Tambo International
airport in Johannesburg on Sunday. The consignment was found with other goods
that were to be brought into the Kingdom by road according to SA Customs
officials.
Just recently, local officials arrested foreign nationals found with 24 pieces
of rhino horns at the King Mswati III international airport.  Human trafficking
is also a crime regarded as a serious problem in the country, which led to a
Parliament probe being launched following a high number of nationals from Asian
countries being found in the country without legal documentation while others
suspected of obtaining citizenship illegally. We anxiously await the findings.
The growing of dagga is another crime that refuses to go away and constitutes
one of the most common drugs seized at the borders.
These incidents suggest that there is a whole lot more criminal activity taking
place than what meets the eye. As a country with one of the highest expenditure
on national security, Swaziland should be a country no criminal should dare to
set foot. At the cost of our security, we certainly don’t deserve to have a
wall erected along our periphery just because criminals are walking in and out
with illicit goods at ease. It is high time our well funded security put a stop
to all of this.