PREPAREDNESS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO COUNTER TERRORISM AT PORTS OF ENTRY

Abstract

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1373(2001), directs its member states, including South Africa, to take measures to control their borders effectively in order to prevent the movement of terrorists, the commission of terrorist acts, and the entry of material that could be used to carry out such acts. The influx of unaccounted refugees and illegal immigrants from within the African continent and from as far as Asia, some of which are said to have connections with Al Qaeda, poses a serious security challenge for the management of South African borders. Despite the existence of the Border Control Operational Coordinating Committee (BCOCC) and its role in border management, South Africa’s ports of entry remain porous, posing a threat and a possible terrorist risk to the nation. The study has determined the preparedness of law enforcement agencies to counter terrorism at the ports of entry by questioning the effectiveness and efficiency of the BCOCC and its operational measures. The study has established that the law enforcement agencies appear prepared, but the coordinating body remain ineffective and inefficient