PRETORIA: South Africa has deported or repatriated more than 53,000 foreign nationals in the five weeks since launching a nationwide migration management campaign, as authorities intensify efforts to curb undocumented immigration amid growing public unrest.
Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi said on Sunday that 53,499 foreign nationals had been processed for deportation or voluntary repatriation, with most coming from Malawi, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
The campaign marks one of South Africa’s largest immigration enforcement operations in recent years and comes after weeks of anti-immigration protests that have included reports of violence, intimidation and looting.
Government Defends Crackdown
Speaking at a news conference in Pretoria, Kubayi said the government was seeking to ensure orderly and lawful migration while respecting the rights of all people.
“We are striving to achieve an orderly and regular migration which is mindful and sensitive to the concerns raised by our people, while observing human rights and dignity of all people in our country, irrespective of their citizenship and immigration status,” she said.
Kubayi added that immigration operations had also resulted in the arrest of individuals wanted by police for alleged criminal offences.
She said authorities would continue enforcing immigration laws but warned members of the public against conducting unauthorised searches of homes or businesses suspected of sheltering undocumented migrants.
Anti-Immigration Protests Continue
The deportations follow weeks of demonstrations by anti-immigration groups demanding tighter border controls and the removal of undocumented migrants.
Protest organisers have accused migrants of contributing to unemployment, crime and pressure on public services.
Activists had declared an unofficial deadline of June 30 for undocumented migrants to leave the country and have threatened to continue weekly demonstrations until their demands are met.
The protests have prompted concerns over possible further violence, with reports that some foreign nationals have already left South Africa to escape intimidation.
Several African countries, including Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda and Kenya, have arranged flights in recent weeks to repatriate their citizens.
Rights Concerns
The United Nations has warned against blaming migrants for South Africa’s economic and social challenges, urging authorities and the public to avoid using foreign nationals as scapegoats.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has acknowledged public concerns over illegal immigration but has condemned attacks on migrants and urged citizens not to take the law into their own hands.
South Africa, the continent’s most industrialised economy, has long attracted migrants from across Africa seeking employment and better economic opportunities, with many entering the country through irregular routes.
