PRETORIA – The South African government has intensified its enforcement actions against undocumented migrants, announcing the arrest of over 40,000 illegal foreign nationals since January. The crackdown, aimed at upholding the Immigration Act, was detailed by the Inter-ministerial Committee on Migration to restore border security and legal compliance across the nation.
Mmamoloko Kubayi, Chairperson of the Inter-ministerial Committee (IMC) on Migration and Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, alongside Home Affairs Minister Dr. Leon Schreiber and Deputy Police Minister Dr. Polly Boshielo, addressed the media regarding the state of national border enforcement.
Kubayi stated that authorities are actively collaborating with foreign governments to facilitate the voluntary repatriation of their citizens. The government has issued a direct call for all undocumented individuals within the country to immediately comply with the law by presenting themselves to law enforcement agencies or requesting repatriation. Emphasizing that the circumvention of immigration systems will not be tolerated, Kubayi also warned employers against transgressing immigration and labor regulations.
Addressing public sentiment, Kubayi appealed to South African citizens to reject vigilantism and dismiss misinformation, urging them to partner with the government to restore stability to their neighborhoods. She clarified that not all foreign nationals in the country are illegal, framing the unified national effort as a necessary measure to safeguard sovereignty, strengthen public institutions, and build a safe, inclusive, and prosperous society.
Significant progress was also reported regarding systemic corruption within the visa system. Officials highlighted the extensive work of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), which has analyzed over a billion data points to identify fraudulent documentation. The next phase of this initiative involves the cancellation of thousands of compromised visas, beginning with 2,000 study visas. Authorities characterized this as an ongoing, rolling data cleanup effort rather than a one-time audit, aligning with the President’s recent emphasis on data integrity in his national address.
Regarding the Border Management Authority (BMA), it was noted that while the agency received increased funding this year, the IMC is actively exploring options for additional financial and capacity support to further strengthen border management.
Providing updates on specialized law enforcement operations, Deputy Police Minister Dr. Polly Boshielo highlighted ongoing interventions targeting illegal mining and street crime. She detailed the cleanup of the Fontaine One mine in the North West, where 1,924 illegal miners were removed. Of those apprehended, only 21 were identified as South African citizens. Furthermore, approximately 80 percent of the corpses recovered from the mine remain unclaimed, indicating they are likely foreign nationals.
Dr. Boshielo also shared recent arrest statistics, noting that police arrest an average of 17,528 individuals every week. Out of this weekly total, 2,399 are identified as illegal foreigners who are subsequently handed over to the Department of Home Affairs to verify their legal status. She further referenced specialized police interventions, specifically “Operation Shanela” and “Operation Shanela Two,” which incorporated the SDF in recent operations conducted on June 8, 2026.
