Before calling for unity and restraint, President Cyril Ramaphosa acknowledged that illegal immigration has serious consequences for South Africa, including placing pressure on public services, threatening security and undermining economic growth.
In a televised address to the nation on Sunday, Ramaphosa said illegal immigration affects service delivery and increases the burden on key sectors such as healthcare and education.
“We know that illegal immigration affects service delivery and places additional burdens on essential services such as healthcare and education,” he said.
“Illegal migration routes increasingly overlap with organised crime.”
The president said criminal syndicates involved in human trafficking, extortion, illegal mining, drug trafficking and money laundering often exploit undocumented migrants to recruit members and conceal criminal activities.
He further noted that illegal immigration negatively impacts employment opportunities for South Africans.
“We know that illegal immigration undermines our efforts to create decent work for our people,” he said.
Despite these concerns, Ramaphosa urged South Africans not to take matters into their own hands by targeting foreigners living in the country. He stressed that dealing with illegal immigration is the responsibility of law enforcement agencies.
“As communities and as a society, we must not be tempted to join those who want us to turn against people who were not born in South Africa and who are in our midst,” said Ramaphosa.
“We will not and must not allow groups to use the legitimate concerns of South Africans to destabilise our country through inciting lawlessness and violence.”
His comments come amid growing anti-illegal immigration protests by groups such as March and March, whose members have confronted suspected undocumented foreigners and demanded that they leave South Africa before June 30.
Ramaphosa also warned employers against hiring undocumented migrants, accusing some businesses of exploiting vulnerable workers while depriving South Africans of opportunities.
“Employers who knowingly hire undocumented workers and exploit their vulnerability are breaking the law. They undermine labour standards. They undermine fair competition.
“Such conduct will attract far stronger penalties and far stricter enforcement,” said Ramaphosa.
The president acknowledged that many South Africans are concerned about undocumented migrants participating in local economic activities, including operating spaza shops, and said those concerns should not be dismissed.
“As a country, as communities and as a continent, we need to work together – in accordance with our constitution, our laws and our international obligations — to tackle illegal immigration,” he said.
To strengthen the government’s response, Ramaphosa announced that dedicated immigration courts would be established to fast-track cases and support the deportation of undocumented migrants.
He also revealed plans to phase out South Africa’s green bar-coded identity books.
“The department of home affairs will set a date after which the green ID books will not be recognised.”
Ramaphosa stressed that South Africa would not tolerate illegal immigration but said enforcement measures must remain consistent with the country’s constitutional values.
“We can protect our borders while protecting human dignity. We can enforce our laws while upholding our constitution.”
“We can secure our communities while preserving the values of ubuntu that define us as a people,” he said.
The president said government efforts will focus on tightening border security, cracking down on violations of immigration and labour laws, rooting out corruption within the immigration system, strengthening immigration policies and working with other African countries to address migration challenges across the continent.
