South Africa, as per the reply to a Parliamentary question, remains a “popular” destination for illegal immigrants from particularly countries with which it shares land borders.

Patriotic Alliance (PA) Member of Parliament (MP) Millicent Mathopa, was told by Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber 51 650 illegal immigrants were deported in the 2024/25 financial year at a cost of R78 140 005.

This is close to 11 000 more than were deported in the previous financial year at a cost of over R11 million less. The figures for the 2022/23 financial year show 22 560 illegal immigrants were deported at a cost of R32 million, while 39 627 people were deported in 2023/24 at a cost of R67 million.

The figures given in reply to Mathopa’s August Parliamentary question differ from those given by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) in an April ministerial statement. That Schreiber statement had it 46 898 illegal immigrants were deported in the 2023/24 year – an increase of 18% over 2022/23.

He ascribed the deportation increase to what he said was “the effectiveness of enforcement operations” resulting from improved collaboration between his department, Commissioner Michael Masiapato’s Border Management Authority (BMA) and General Fannie Masemola’s SA Police Service (SAPS).