To bolster border control, a total of 672 Border Law Enforcement Officers have been deployed across vulnerable areas, including 585 officers at land borders, 56 at maritime borders, and 31 stationed at OR Tambo International Airport. Officers are equipped with 22 quad bikes, 26 motorbikes, 44 patrol vehicles, and 127 firearms, with 400 additional pistols recently delivered.

South Africa has signed joint action plans with Mozambique and Eswatini, and is in advanced negotiations with Lesotho, under the World Bank’s Southern African Trade Facilitation Programme. These agreements facilitate risk information exchanges to improve border management. The Border Management Authority (BMA) has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with INTERPOL to access databases on lost travel documents, wanted persons, and other risks. Additionally, a Border Security Risk and Information Committee allows collaboration with various agencies, including the State Security Agency, SAPS Crime Intelligence, SANDF Defence Intelligence, and SARS Customs Targeting Unit.

Between July 2022 and September 2024, a total of 410,332 illegal foreigners were processed, categorized as “inadmissibles, undesirables, undocumented individuals,” or arrests. Efforts to apprehend and deport illegal immigrants remain ongoing, with thousands processed each year.

To further strengthen enforcement, the Border Management Authority, in collaboration with ARMSCOR, is using funds from the Crime Asset Recovery Account (CARA) to procure specialized equipment such as drones, body cameras, and maritime patrol vessels to enhance surveillance and enforcement.

The department reported that total foreign arrivals from January to September 2024 stood at 9,285,398, with data for 2020-2022 provided in a detailed breakdown below.

The Department of Home Affairs confirmed that its reported figures reflect accurately detected illegal immigrants, refusals of entry, and deportations from ports of entry. These efforts demonstrate South Africa’s ongoing commitment to managing migration, securing its borders, and facilitating legitimate travel and trade.

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Among those asking questions of Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber was Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) National Assembly (NA) member Thapelo Mogale. He was told the South African government, by way of the taxpayer, spent R52 817 656 deporting illegal immigrant back to their countries of origin in the five months between 1 April and 31 August this year. That money paid for 19 750 illegals to return to their countries of origin, which works out at over R2 670 per person.

Going further back on the same topic, ActionSA NA member Lerato Ngobeni was told by Schreiber deportations since 1 January 2022, with no end date given, were 83 731. It cost R193 million – just over R2 305 per person.

In 2022/23, 10 808 people were deported, with the majority (7 393) being from Zimbabwe, followed by Malawi (3 020), Tanzania (159), and Nigeria (86).

Finding and rounding up illegals in South Africa was done by way of what Minister Schreiber termed “raids/operations conducted” with him telling his questioner there were 1 112 in 2022/23 and 1 538 in the 2023/24 financial year. All told these netted over sixty-two thousand undocumented persons: 22 436 in 2022/23 and 39 627 in 2023/24.

Asked by MKP (uMkhonto weSizwe Party) NCOP member Seeng Mokoena whether the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) tracked and monitored non-South African citizens approved for visa-free stay and those with visas for the prescribed duration, Schreiber noted “both categories of traveller ere provided a specified period of stay when they comply with admission requirements as stated in the Immigration Act. He did not elaborate apart from adding “risk-based solutions” were used as well as the deterrent of being declared “undesirable” for one to five years.

Tracking is done by the DHA inspectorate unit which, according to Schreiber, saw 171 025 foreign nationals overstay from January 2019 to August 2024.

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