Central SA
Free State intensifies efforts against illegal transportation, immigration─── KEKELETSO MOSEBETSI 10:20 Mon, 23 Dec 2024
The Free State government, in collaboration with law enforcement agencies, have vowed to continue to crack down on illegal transportation and immigration as part of its Safer Festive Season operations.
On Sunday (22/12), Deputy Minister of Police Cassel Mathale, alongside Free State Premier MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae, MEC for Community Safety, Roads and Transport Jabu Mbalula, and Lt. Gen. Baile Motswenyane, led an inspection tour during a high-profile operation.
The operation, conducted on the R702 and N8, aimed to ensure compliance with road safety laws and immigration regulations. The multidisciplinary roadblock was part of an intensified effort to make the province safer for both residents and visitors.
Mathale expressed confidence in the operational readiness of law enforcement during the festive season. “I believe South Africa will experience a wonderful festive season, not just for locals but also for visitors,” he said, emphasising the importance of ensuring safety for all road users.
More than a hundred undocumented foreign nationals and unlicensed motorists have been arrested since the start of the Arrive Alive campaign. One notable operation took place on Wednesday (18/12) on the N1 outside Bloemfontein, where law enforcement conducted unannounced searches and vehicle inspections.
One of the undocumented foreign nationals arrested during Safer Festive season campaign conducted on the N1 outside Bloemfontein. Photo: Facebook
During the operation, officers discovered several illegal immigrants with no identification. In one extreme case, an individual was found hiding in the engine compartment of a bus headed to Zimbabwe. By mid-morning, more than 800 vehicles had been stopped for inspection.
Premier Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae (left) led the roadblock on the N1 outside Bloemfontein. Photo: Facebook
Letsoha-Mathae emphasised the province’s commitment to maintain the lowest road fatality rate in the country. “Our priority is the safety of our people,” she stated, calling for collective efforts from both motorists and law enforcement to ensure safer roads.
Earlier this month, 23 people lost their lives in six fatal accidents on Free State roads.
On Sunday (22/12), 28 undocumented immigrants from Lesotho were arrested after being discovered in the rear trailer of a truck during a roadside checkpoint on the N1 south of Bloemfontein. Officers stopped the truck for inspection and heard suspicious sounds coming from the trailer.
READ MORE: Vragmotoreienaar in sop oor onwettige immigrante op sleepwa
They found 47 adults and four children, aged between 9 months and 5 years, being transported unsafely. Further investigation revealed that 28 people, including two women and 26 men, were illegal immigrants from Lesotho.
