South Africa: 86,596 foreigners processed for expulsion or repatriation between June and August

South Africa processed 86,596 foreign nationals under expulsion and repatriation procedures between 14 June and 20 August 2026, the interministerial committee responsible for migration management announced on Tuesday, 8 September. The government presents this figure as one of the main outcomes of its five-point plan aimed at strengthening controls, securing borders, and modernizing the migration system.

According to the committee, Malawian nationals make up the largest group among those concerned, followed by Zimbabweans and Mozambicans. Authorities indicate that 90% of foreigners processed for repatriation had entered the country illegally, and 95% were classified as having crossed the border outside official entry points.

The government also states that more than 4,200 foreigners without residence permits were intercepted between April and July while attempting to enter South Africa outside border posts. The main interceptions took place along the northern corridor at the Zimbabwe border, then in areas bordering Lesotho and Mozambique.

The interministerial committee says it has strengthened joint control operations within the country. More than 350,000 inspections were carried out in factories, supermarkets, convenience stores, and other sectors, while 205 cases were recorded, 354 people arrested, and 123 cases registered in courts for offenses related notably to immigration, document fraud, or worker exploitation.

Borders, occupied buildings, and migration system reform

Pretoria plans to extend this policy through a border infrastructure improvement plan for the period 2026-2030. The initiative will cover the seven border provinces and aims to enhance fences, access routes, patrol mobility, and surveillance capabilities. The Border Management Authority already uses five drones at several sensitive points and has initiated the acquisition of nine additional devices.

The government is also tackling so-called “diverted” or illegally occupied buildings in major cities. South Africa’s eight metropolitan areas have identified approximately 2,400 non-compliant buildings. The committee considers that one of the main obstacles to evacuations remains the lack of funded temporary housing solutions for occupants, while court decisions must respect constitutional guarantees.

This development comes after several weeks of tensions surrounding immigration and the presence of foreign workers in South Africa. Pretoria had already called on countries of origin to contribute more to the cost of repatriation operations, while the migration issue had taken a prominent place during the SADC summit held in Durban in August.

Authorities affirm their intention to combine firmness with respect for fundamental rights. The committee reaffirmed that immigration management is the responsibility of the state and condemned violence targeting foreigners, in a context marked in recent weeks by anti-immigration incidents and several evacuation operations of African nationals.