South African president outlines plan to address illegal immigration

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday night announced a series of measures aimed at tackling illegal immigration amid growing public concern over the issue.

In a national address in Pretoria, the country's administrative capital, the president said the cabinet had adopted a Comprehensive Approach to Migration Management designed to strengthen immigration enforcement, secure borders, combat corruption, and improve immigration systems and policies.

Under the new approach, Ramaphosa said the government will step up efforts to identify and deport undocumented migrants, establish dedicated immigration courts to expedite deportation processes, strengthen border security, and impose tougher penalties on employers who knowingly hire undocumented foreign nationals.

The measures come as concerns over illegal immigration have featured prominently in public discourse in recent months, with some community groups staging demonstrations in several cities, including Johannesburg, Durban, Pretoria, and Cape Town.

Ramaphosa said many South Africans have expressed concerns about pressure on public services, unemployment, crime, and competition for economic opportunities.

The president cautioned against blaming migrants for all the country’s socio-economic challenges. “Illegal immigration is not the cause of all our economic challenges,” he said, adding that faster economic growth, investment, and job creation remain essential to addressing the country’s broader problems.

However, Ramaphosa warned that irregular migration poses security and governance challenges if left unchecked, noting that illegal migration routes often overlap with organized criminal activities, including human trafficking, extortion, illegal mining, drug trafficking, and money laundering.

He also stressed that enforcement of immigration laws remains the responsibility of the state and urged citizens not to take the law into their own hands.

“We will act against forces that are exploiting the concerns of our people about illegal immigration to further their own political, personal, or criminal agendas,” he said.

Ramaphosa called on South Africans to tackle the challenge through unity, determination, and respect for the rule of law, and reiterated that South Africa would continue to uphold its constitutional values and international obligations while ensuring that everyone living and working in the country does so legally.

According to Statistics South Africa, the country is home to an estimated 3.3 million foreign-born residents, with nearly two-thirds originating from Southern African countries.