President Cyril Ramaphosa has moved to calm a rising national debate, insisting that while public anxiety over illegal immigration in South Africa is understandable, the overwhelming majority of foreign nationals living in the country are not involved in crime. His coments come as protests and pressure groups push the issue to the top of the political agenda.
Writing in his weekly newsletter on Monday, a day after a national address laying out government plans, the President acknowledged that frustration over border security has been building for months. He framed the response as measured rather than reactive.
“In recent months, many South Africans have raised concern about illegal immigration, asking whether our borders are secure and our laws are being enforced,” Ramaphosa said. He added that Cabinet had adopted what he described as a “comprehensive approach for migration management”.
That approach, according to the President, leans on two pillars: tighter enforcement at the border and a set of legal reforms aimed at closing the gaps that criminal networks have been exploiting.
Ramaphosa was direct about the criminal element. He said organised syndicates are taking advantage of weaknesses in the immigration system to run operations involving drug trafficking, illegal mining and extortion. But he drew a firm line between those networks and ordinary migrants.
The President also tackled the economic anxieties head-on, addressing fears that foreign nationals are straining jobs, small businesses, and public services like clinics, hospitals and schools. According to official statistics he cited, foreign nationals make up only a small share of those using public services.
Tensions have been sharpest in parts of the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, where protests have targeted undocumented migrants. There are reports that some undocumented foreign nationals have already begun leaving the country as the unrest spreads.
Much of the pressure is being driven by organised campaigns. The anti-immigrant group March and March has set a deadline of 30 June for undocumented migrants to leave, alongside a list of demands aimed at hardening the country’s stance.
Where the Parties Stand on Illegal Immigration in South Africa
The political reaction to the President’s address split along familiar lines, with opposition leaders reading the same spech very differently. The table below sets out the key positions.
| Party / Group | Leader / Voice | Position |
|—|—|
| Government (ANC) | Cyril Ramaphosa | Comprehensive migration management; tighter enforcement plus legal reform; reject vigilantism |
| ActionSA | Herman Mashaba | Dismissed address as “failed and tired talking points”; wants stronger enforcement and deportations |
| Democratic Alliance | Geordin Hill-Lewis | Welcomed the tone; rejects xenophobia; insists enforcement stays with the state, not vigilante groups |
| March and March | Anti-immigrant group | Demands undocumented migrants leave by 30 June; stricter visas, asylum review, action on employers |
The takeaway is a notable overlap one point: both major oposition parties agree that enforcement belongs to the state. Where they partways is on tone — Mashaba wants tougher action, while Hill-Lewis prioritised the warning against xenophobia.
Beyond the political back-and-forth, the government has set out concrete steps. Ramaphosa said authorities would deploy more resources and technology to secure the borders and improve how efficiently the immigration system processes cases.
“We are cracking down on violations of our immigration, labour and other laws. We are deploying more resources and technology to secure our borders,” the President said. He confirmed that corruption inside the system would also be confronted.
New legislation is on the way too. The government plans to regulate foreign worker quotas across different sectors and ensure that informal businesses are properly registered, move aimed at formalising parts of the economy where undocumented labour often goes unchecked.
Ramaphosa also looked beyond South Africa’s borders, saying the country would work with regional and continental partners to address the economic hardship and instability that push people to migrate in the first place.
His strongest words were reserved for those tempted to act outside the law. He urged communities not to take enforcement into their own hands, stressing that only authorised state officials may enforce immigration laws.
“The task of managing migration belongs to all of us,” he said, before warning against violence, misinformation and division. “We must confront racism, sexism, xenophobia and Afrophobia. Our goal must be to build united and cohesive communities where all laws are respected and upheld.”
The address lands at a delicate moment, with the 30 June deadline looming and tempers fraying in several provinces. Whether the government’s blend of tougher enforcement and cals for calm can hold the line will depend on how quickly those promised reforms move from the President’s newsletter into action on the ground.