South African MP Calls For Suspension Of Rimbi Buses For Carrying Undocumented Foreign Nationals

The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs in South Africa, Mosa Chabane,  has called on the Border Management Authority (BMA) to suspend bus operator Rimbi Travel and Tours after one of its cross-border buses was intercepted by the Free State Department of Community Safety, Roads and Transport on Friday, 3 April 2026.

According to the BMA, the bus, travelling from Zimbabwe to Cape Town, was found to be carrying 32 undocumented foreign nationals in addition to 43 passengers who had been properly processed at the Beitbridge Port of Entry in line with all regulations.

It is alleged that the 32 undocumented passengers were picked up after the bus had entered South Africa, specifically in Makhado and Johannesburg.

Chabane said the interception highlights the need for stricter enforcement and greater accountability within the cross-border transport sector.

“We commend the provincial department for its vigilance and decisive action. This interception exposes serious violations that undermine the integrity of our immigration system and border controls,” said Chabane.

He called on the BMA to set an example by suspending bus operator Rimbi Travel and Tours while an investigation is carried out into how the 32 undocumented passengers came to be on the bus.

Chabane stressed the importance of enforcing consequences to send a clear message to operators who deliberately flout the law, warning that failure to act decisively would only encourage non-compliance and weaken the country’s border management systems.

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