Deputy President Paul Mashatile has called on South Africans to raise concerns about illegal migration through lawful and constitutional channels, while rejecting vigilantism and unlawful enforcement.
Mashatile was responding to a question in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) on Thursday about protests calling on government to act against illegal migration.
He said government was implementing a Comprehensive Approach on Migration Management to strengthen border security, enforce immigration laws, tackle corruption and close policy loopholes.
“The plan is anchored on five pillars, namely, cracking down on violations of immigration and labour laws, preventing illegal entry into the country, stamping out corruption in the immigration system, strengthening immigration laws and policies, and working with other countries to address migration challenges across the region and continent,” Mashatile said on Thursday.
Mashatile said President Cyril Ramaphosa had also established an Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration, led by the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development.
The committee is coordinating government’s response to migration and overseeing the implementation of interventions announced by the President in his address to the nation earlier this month.
“Furthermore, the Minister of Employment and Labour has introduced the Employment Services Amendment Bill in Parliament. This Bill will empower the Minister to set quotas in respect of the employment of foreign nationals in any economic sector or occupational category.
“Through the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster (JCPS), intelligence-led measures are being implemented to prevent xenophobic violence and unlawful parallel enforcement,” Mashatile said.
On corruption in the South African Police Service (SAPS), Mashatile said the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cluster was implementing corrective measures to root out corruption in the service.
He said the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) was strengthening its Serious Corruption Investigation Units to deal with complex cases, including public sector procurement fraud and state capture-related crimes.
The units are working with agencies such as the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) through prosecution-guided investigations to align investigations with prosecutorial requirements and improve outcomes.
“Dedicated teams continue to investigate SAPS officials who have been implicated in the Madlanga Commission, with a specialised task team handling disciplinary cases.
“Senior managers within the SAPS are now undergoing vetting by the State Security Agency (SSA) to reinforce integrity, while internal audits, ethics programmes, and oversight committees ensure accountability.
“Through these measures, corruption cases within the SAPS are pursued transparently, reinforcing integrity and safeguarding the criminal justice system,” the Deputy President said. -SAnews.gov.za
