ESTABLISHMENT
Key Decisions
Government and Cabinet took a number of decisions on the BMA between 2009 – 2015. Key decisions include:
On the 3rd of June 2009 in the State of the Nation Address President JG Zuma stated that government “will start the process of setting up a Border Management Agency” in South Africa. In the same year the President stressed the importance of a national security strategy and that this strategy “must help us to improve migration control and border management, and in this case we must move with speed in the establishment of the Border Management Agency”.
On the 10th of December 2014, Cabinet approved the vision for the BMA as well as the key priorities for the Transitional Period (2015-2016).
On the 26th of June 2013 Cabinet resolved to establish a BMA in South Africa and endorsed the guiding principles for the BMA establishment process; implementation steps for establishing the BMA; the formation of an Inter-Ministerial Oversight Committee for the duration of the BMA establishment period; and mandated the Department of Home Affairs to lead the establishment of the BMA.
On the 23rd of September 2015, Cabinet endorsed the formal introduction of the BMA Bill, 2015 in Parliament.