Government says it has adopted a Comprehensive Approach for Migration Management aimed at strengthening border security, enforcing immigration laws, tackling corruption and closing policy loopholes to address illegal immigration.
Addressing the nation on Sunday, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the plan was approved by Cabinet and endorsed by the President’s Coordinating Council.
“Our objective is clear. We want a South Africa where every person who enters the country does so lawfully; a South Africa where immigration laws are respected and enforced,” Ramaphosa said.
The plan focuses on five key areas: enforcing immigration and labour laws, preventing illegal border crossings, rooting out corruption, strengthening immigration policies and improving cooperation with other African countries.
Ramaphosa said authorities have intensified efforts to identify and deport undocumented foreign nationals, revealing that “the BMA managed to intercept and stop over 450,000 people who were attempting to enter South Africa illegally” over the past year.
Government will also establish dedicated immigration courts to speed up deportation processes and continue investing in border security technology and personnel.
On corruption, the President warned that officials who facilitate illegal immigration would face consequences. “Officials who sell documents, facilitate unlawful entry or abuse public office for personal gain betray the trust of the South African people. We will pursue these cases relentlessly,” he said.
Ramaphosa added that South Africa would work with countries across the continent to address the causes of migration, saying the goal is to build “an Africa in which people move by choice and not by desperation.”
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