Over 40 000 illegal foreign nationals have been arrested since the beginning of 2026, with over 7 400 arrests made in the past month alone, as government intensifies efforts to tackle illegal immigration and strengthen border security.
The figures were revealed during a media briefing by the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Migration, which was constituted by President Cyril Ramaphosa to coordinate the government’s work on the issue of migration in South Africa and to oversee the implementation of the various interventions, as outlined during President Ramaphosa’s address to the nation last Sunday.
The Inter-Ministerial Committee is led by the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Mmamoloko Kubayi, and constituted by various departments, including Home Affairs, Small Business Development, Defence, International Relations and Cooperation, Employment and Labour, Basic Education, Higher Education and Training, as well as the South African Police Service (SAPS).
The Departments of Transport, Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic), and Social Development have since been requested to be added.
The Comprehensive Approach for Migration Management, presented by President Cyril Ramaphosa in his nationwide address on Sunday, 7 June, revealed government’s ability to handle illegal immigration where it takes place.
READ | Government tightens policy, legal controls as it builds a South Africa that works for all
Addressing the media on Sunday, Kubayi said a lot of work has been done in implementing the various interventions that the President announced in his address.
The President outlined the government’s five-point strategy to manage irregular migration, which includes strengthening border security, reiterating the constitutional principle of the Rule of Law, stamping out corruption in the immigration system, cracking down on violence and lawlessness and refining our legislative framework.
This plan and approach also entail collaboration with fellow African nations to forge a broader, more cohesive response to migration challenges across our region and the continent.
Vigilance
Highlighting some of the interventions, Kubayi said the Border Management Authority (BMA) has deployed advanced technologies, including drones and body-worn cameras, and established additional checkpoints along key transport routes leading to major border crossings.
“The BMA and its stakeholders have, on Wednesday, the 10th of June 2026, held an anti-corruption awareness campaign at Oshoek port of entry, the RSA-eSwatini border, to proactively address issues of corruption within the ports. In addition, the BMA and other law enforcement agencies have instituted static checkpoints or roadblocks at key corridors leading to the critical ports, such as Beitbridge, to ensure effective interception of anybody attempting to enter South Africa illegally.
“Currently, there is heightened vigilance across all ports of entry in all the three modalities of land, air and sea. This was demonstrated by the recent interception of nine Bangladeshi nationals at OR Tambo International Airport who attempted to enter South Africa with fraudulent Visas. The interception of ABBA, a precursor for Mandrax with the street value of just below one billion Rands at Beitbridge, is another case in point,” Kubayi said.
Through intelligence-led operations, roadblocks, compliance inspections, and multidisciplinary actions involving various government departments, Kubayi said government continues to identify, arrest and process those who are in the country unlawfully.
Government has also intensified multidisciplinary law enforcement operations, led by the Deputy Ministers of Home Affairs, Police and Labour and Employment.
Through these initiatives, business premises and communities in Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and Gauteng were visited to respond to community concerns and transgression of immigration and labour laws by employers.
These include an inspection conducted at a residential estate in Mossel Bay, Western Cape, on 03 June 2026, which resulted in the arrest of 15 foreign nationals for immigration-related contraventions.
“In KZN, a multidisciplinary night operation was conducted on 4 June 2026 at two clothing manufacturing facilities operating at the same site in the Riverside Industrial Area, Newcastle, which resulted in the arrest of a business owner who had illegally employed undocumented migrants, who were also arrested. A similar operation was conducted in Tshwane, and 35 arrests were also made, including two employers who were arrested for employing undocumented foreign nationals.
“This is a demonstration that government is not turning a blind eye to illegal immigration and we are intensifying our efforts to bring it under control,” Kubayi said.
In addition, a total of 143 people were arrested for inciting violence. – SAnews.gov.za
