A section of the border between South Africa and Mozambique is being fortified with concrete obstacles to deter people from stealing and smuggling automobiles.
South African authorities have budgeted close to $2.7m to build the wall which is made up of three sections.
Construction on the Tembe Elephant Park segment “is currently underway,” the KwaZulu-Natal province and the South African government said in a joint briefing.
Phase 1 – the 8-kilometer-long barrier at Tembe Elephant Park – will be followed by phases 2 and 3, which cover 8 kilometers near iSimangaliso Wetland Park and 9 kilometers from Tembe Elephant Park’s western edge to the Pongolo River.
A failed effort to drive a stolen SUV over the barrier using “iron ladders” highlighted the barrier’s effectiveness in deterring crime. The ladders appear to have buckled, leading the drivers to set fire to the car in order to destroy evidence.
According to reports, 15 companies of troops protect South Africa’s borders, particularly the “high-risk borders” with Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Lesotho.
