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The complete lack of basic and inexpensive crime fighting infrastructure at Maseru Bridge port of entry is completely unacceptable. During a recent oversight visit by the Democratic Alliance to the Maseru Bridge it came to our attention that there are no vehicle arrester spikes at the crossing point into Lesotho to prevent stolen cars gate crashing this border post out of South Africa. I was stunned to hear officials relate to me that the situation has persisted for a number of years and that at least one SAPS member has been wounded after firearms were discharged in one such incident. The officials testified that cars drive up to the border post and after pretending to stop, accelerate at high speed into Lesotho. SAPS personnel and immigration officials are powerless to prevent this as there are not even simple retractable arrester spikes in place to prevent it. Officials I met during the oversight visit testified that most, if not all, of the vehicles that gate crashed the border post were vehicles stolen in South Africa. The Democratic Alliance believes that the entire flow of stolen vehicles out of the country into Lesotho could be stemmed by equipping SAPS personnel with the retractable vehicle arrester spikes infrastructure which could be installed at a fraction of the cost of vehicles stolen and driven across the border. The DA has already submitted questions to the Minister of Home Affairs to establish just how many vehicles have gate crashed Maseru Bridge port of entry over the last five years. We have also asked when the arrester spikes will be installed to stop stolen vehicles crossing the border and make a meaningful contribution to the fight against crime.
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