President Cyril Ramaphosa is scheduled to address the nation regarding the government’s comprehensive strategy to manage migration, as public discourse remains heavily focused on concerns surrounding illegal immigration.
Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni announced on Friday that the Cabinet has received and approved a comprehensive approach to migration, alongside the National Action Plan (NAP) on Migration in South Africa. Both frameworks were developed by the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration.
Speaking at a media briefing in Pretoria detailing the outcomes of Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting, Ntshavheni confirmed the President’s upcoming address. She also issued a formal warning to the public, urging South Africans not to take the law into their own hands in response to illegal migration.
The government’s newly formalized strategy builds upon several existing enforcement and regulatory measures designed to curb illegal immigration:
Border Management: The Border Management Authority (BMA), established in 2023, continues to strengthen border control. The BMA is responsible for executing border law enforcement functions at all land, air, and maritime ports of entry, as well as within designated border law enforcement areas.
Deportations: Despite facing operational capacity constraints, the Department of Home Affairs has maintained a year-on-year increase in the deportation of undocumented foreign nationals since 2022.
Legislative Reform: In March 2026, the Cabinet approved the revised White Paper on Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Protection. The approval followed an extensive public consultation process led by the Department of Home Affairs across all nine provinces, which garnered thousands of submissions from the public and stakeholders. Described by the government as the most significant reform of South Africa’s citizenship and immigration framework in a generation, the White Paper aims to curb fraud and abuse, strengthen national security, support economic development, and improve service delivery through digital transformation.
Labor Market Regulations: The Department of Employment and Labour has finalized the National Labour Migration Policy. This policy introduces maximum quotas for documented foreign nationals and provides for the prosecution of employers who hire undocumented individuals. Additionally, the Cabinet has approved the Employment Services Amendment Bill for submission to Parliament. The bill will empower the Minister of Employment and Labour to set specific employment quotas for foreign nationals within any economic sector or occupational category.
