A total of 2,745 foreign nationals have been repatriated to their home countries since President Cyril Ramaphosa unveiled plans to deal with illegal immigration. This number is expected to grow. As anti-foreigner protests increase, the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration is ramping up enforcement.

Exactly a week after Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation and announced a five-point plan to tackle irregular immigration, the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Migration held a media briefing explaining the work that has been done on migration issues touched on by the President.

In response to renewed anti-foreigner sentiment and protests that have recently swept through parts of South Africa, President Ramaphosa set out a series of measures to tackle illegal migration, which included:

• zero tolerance for immigration law violators;
• strengthening border security;
• stamping out corruption within the immigration system;
• closing loopholes in immigration law; and
• working with other African countries to tackle the migration challenge.

The IMC, which is mandated to implement Ramaphosa's migration strategy, is chaired by Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Mmamoloko Kubayi, who gave a comprehensive update on Sunday, 14 June, on the work the government was doing.

The briefing comes amid heightened social friction over migration and sustained anti-migrant protests across the country. Minister Kubayi sought to reassure the public that state departments were working in a highly unified, multi-pronged approach.

Implementing the five-point strategy

"The South African Government will not tolerate the circumvention of our immigration systems and laws," Minister Kubayi said.