JOHANNESBURG, June 7 (Xinhua) — South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday night announced a series of measures aimed at tackling illegal immigration amid growing public concern over the issue.
In a national address in Pretoria, the country's administrative capital, the President said the Cabinet has adopted a comprehensive approach to migration management, designed to strengthen immigration enforcement, secure borders, tackle corruption and reform the immigration system and policies.
Under the new approach, Ramaphosa said the government would step up efforts to identify and deport undocumented migrants, establish dedicated immigration courts to speed up deportation processes, strengthen border security and impose tougher penalties on employers who knowingly hire undocumented foreign nationals.
The moves come as concerns over illegal immigration have figured prominently in public discussion in recent months, with some community groups holding demonstrations in several cities including Johannesburg, Durban, Pretoria and Cape Town.
Ramaphosa said many South Africans have expressed concerns about pressure on public services, unemployment, crime and competition for economic opportunities.
The President cautioned against blaming migrants for all the socio-economic challenges of the country. “Illegal immigration is not the cause of all our economic challenges,” he said, adding that faster economic growth, investment and job creation are essential to solving the country's broader problems.
However, Ramaphosa warned that irregular migration creates security and governance challenges if left unchecked, noting that illegal migration routes often overlap with organized criminal activities, including human trafficking, extortion, illegal mining, drug trafficking and money laundering.
He also stressed that it is the state's responsibility to enforce immigration laws and urged citizens not to take the law into their own hands.
“We will take action against forces who are exploiting our people's concerns about illegal immigration to advance their political, personal or criminal agendas,” he said.
Ramaphosa called on South Africans to meet the challenge through unity, determination and respect for the rule of law, and reiterated that South Africa will continue to uphold its constitutional values and international obligations, while ensuring that all people living and working in the country do so legally.
According to Statistics South Africa, there are an estimated 3.3 million foreign-born residents living in the country, about two-thirds of whom come from southern African countries.