Acting Police Minister, Professor Firoz Cachalia, has reaffirmed the government's commitment to tackling illegal immigration, while warning that vigilantism and violence against foreign nationals have no place in South Africa.
Delivering his department's budget vote speech in Parliament on Tuesday, Cachalia said the government agrees that illegal immigration is unacceptable and that stronger measures are needed to improve border security and enforce immigration laws.
He said, “Our country's sovereignty and the rule of law cannot be compromised. But let me make myself absolutely clear: We condemn any violent protests targeting people of other countries.”
Cachalia warned that attacks on foreign nationals harm South Africa's standing in the region and globally, undermining efforts to attract investment and grow the economy.
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“(It) limits foreign investment and weakens our prospects for growing our economy and creating jobs. It could also harm the cooperation we need with our regional neighbors to address the organized criminal networks that bring drugs into our country and smuggle them across our borders.”
He stressed that only the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Border Management Authority (BMA) are authorized to arrest people for immigration offences.
“You can't build a country that effectively enforces the rule of law by breaking those laws,” Cachalia said. He said the police would continue to take action against both illegal immigration and those resorting to violence during protests.
The minister said police officers are already under immense pressure as they often face crime in difficult and dangerous circumstances.
bring back accountability
Turning to the recent suspension of senior SAPS officers, Cachalia said accountability remains a key pillar of the police reset agenda.
He said, “The most recent suspensions announced by the Acting National Commissioner on Tuesday are in accordance with the terms of the internal SAPS investigation. The Acting National Commissioner and I are fully united in pursuing consequence management.”
Read | SAPS suspends additional five senior police officers
Also, Cachalia praised most of the police officers who continue to serve the communities with dedication and professionalism.
“Your contributions are greatly appreciated and I stand with you,” he said. He also paid tribute to the officers killed or injured in the line of duty.
Kachaliya described the attacks on police officers as unacceptable, citing the deaths of Captain Lewis Nel and Sergeant Mandla Khuzwayo of Crime Intelligence in KwaZulu-Natal. Officers attacked by armed men while on duty in Verulam. Captain Nel died at the scene, while Sergeant Khuzwayo died 25 days later.
On the police budget, Cachalia said the allocation is much more than the funding.
“This is about whether a child in Lusikisiki can go to school safely, whether a woman in Thohoyandou can return home from work without fear, and whether a business in eThekwini or Ekurhuleni can invest and create jobs with confidence that the state will protect its people,” he said.
As the largest institution in the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security cluster, the SAPS has been allocated R127.072 billion for the financial year 2026/27, rising to R135.8 billion by 2028/29. -SAnews.gov.za