Exploring public-private partnerships for enhancing border security through space technology in South Africa

Abstract

The failure of the South African border security authorities to provide effective border security continues to be a grave national security problem. Their inability to provide effective border security is due to certain factors. These factors include a fragmented approach to border security management, as well as other socio-technical factors of border security, such as the absence of physical barriers in many parts of the country’s land borders; the shortage of physical and human resources; and ineffective methods of controlling and monitoring South Africa’s land borders. Given this, the aim of this research was to examine the practicability of employing space technology to address the identified border security challenges. It further sought to explore the opportunities of forming effective partnerships between the public sector and the private space technology sector to address the identified challenges through the application of space technology. Space technology is being embraced by many developed and developing countries as an alternative to the conventional methods of controlling and monitoring land borders. Furthermore, public-private partnerships are becoming an important feature in addressing national security and public safety challenges, as well as in the delivery of various space technology projects, in some countries. The study was qualitative in nature and the primary data was collected using documentary sources and semi-structured interviews. The findings of this research revealed that South Africa was experiencing significant challenges in controlling and monitoring its land borders. Consequently, cross-border criminal activities, consisting of amongst others, border jumping, human smuggling, stock theft, wildlife poaching and smuggling, as well as the smuggling of goods and stolen vehicles, continue unabated. To address the identified problem, this research proposes the integration of various space technologies with other socio-technical solutions to control and monitor South Africa’s international land borders. It further proposes the formation of effective partnerships among border security authorities, other government departments, the private space technology sector, and other private partners for the development and collaborative operation of space technologies for border security and for other societal applications.