Children on the Move: Alarm as 33 Undocumented Minors Intercepted at Beitbridge Authorities have once again raised the alarm over the safety of children at South Africa’s borders. Thirty-three undocumented minor children, aged between four and fifteen, were intercepted at the Beitbridge Port of Entry, after border officials stopped a minibus taxi transporting them from South Africa to
Zimbabwe. Two adult men have been arrested for allegedly facilitating the illegal movement of the
children, with criminal cases now opened under the Immigration Act. The children have since been handed over to the Department of Social Development, as investigations continue into how and why they were travelling undocumented across the border. Border Management Authority Commissioner Dr Michael Masiapato has praised officials for their vigilance, while urging parents to stop sending undocumented children across ports of entry. This case once again raises serious questions about child protection, cross-border exploitation and the risks faced by vulnerable minors.