The cabinet has approved the head of the agency that will man the country’s border posts after the merger of different departments into a single entity.
The Border Management Authority was established after Parliament passed a law that would allow a single authority to manage the border.
The cabinet said on Thursday Dr Nakampe Michael Masiapato will be the commissioner of the BMA agency and Major-General David Chilembe the deputy commissioner for operations.
Parliament passed the BMA Bill last June after years in the making. President Cyril Ramaphosa signed it into law a month later.
This came after the government decided that they needed a single authority that would man the country’s borders.
When the process started some of the departments were concerned that this would take away some of their powers.
But the government said a single authority would be able to cut down on inefficiencies and strengthen capacity at the border posts.
Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Njabulo Nzuza told Parliament in January this year the new head of the BMA would be appointed soon.
The cabinet approved the appointment of Masiapato on Thursday. Chilembe has been appointed as his deputy.
Nzuza had also told Parliament that they were waiting for the regulations to be passed to allow the BMA Act to come into force.
The government has been concerned about the nature of the control of the borders.
By creating a single agency it said it would ensure more effective command and control of the borderlines.
Political Bureau