Inter Ministerial Committee on progress made in implementing the five-point plan on migration management

Programme Director,
Members of the Media,
Fellow South Africans,

Good Morning

Once again thank you very much for the opportunity to address you on the important matter of migration management in our country and the efforts of government in dealing with this challenging task. It’s been almost a month since we provided progress report on the implementation of the five-point plan which was announced by the President on the 07 of June 2026.

The situation has significantly improved since then and on behalf of government and the entire team that is hard at work in implementing these interventions, we would like to appreciate and thank the support of all role players including the fraternity of non-governmental organizations who continue to support our efforts in this regard. We also want to thank the people of South Africa who also continue to heed our call for conducting peaceful protests and vital cooperation with the law enforcement authorities.

In the same vein, we condemn the sporadic acts of violence such as we have seen at Che Guevara in the Province of KwaZulu Natal recently. We reiterate our fervent stance that immigration management and the concomitant law enforcement remain solely the responsibility of government and nobody else. The law enforcement authorities are following up on that incident and will make sure that those who are responsible for the violence are held accountable.

The authorities will continue to monitor the situation in Che Guevara, and we would like to assure members of the public and the residents adjacent to that area that the matter will be resolved as a matter of urgency. The UNHCR has been supporting members of the group to explore available solutions, including voluntary reintegration into communities. For those who have expressed an interest in the Lindela option as a temporary alternative shelter arrangement, UNHCR has encouraged them to engage constructively with that process and is currently working to compile the requested information regarding those willing to relocate.

Today Ladies and Gentlemen and fellow South Africans, The Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Migration wishes to provide the latest update on the implementation of the President's Five-Point Plan on Migration Management. As you will recall, this plan is aimed at restoring public confidence, strengthening the rule of law, protecting South Africa's borders, modernising migration systems, and enhancing cooperation with our regional and international partners.

As part of this work, we have also made significant strides in the development of an operational plan to deal with the menacing challenge of hijacked and abandoned buildings across all our metros.  These buildings, in most cases, have been illegally occupied and are utilized for criminal activities such as human trafficking, drug dealing, illicit goods trading and general substance abuse. In this regard we are pleased to announce that the IMC has considered a consolidated report on managing bad and hi-jacked buildings across South Africa's eight metropolitan municipalities.

The report draws on submissions from the Cities of Johannesburg, Tshwane, eThekwini, Ekurhuleni, Nelson Mandela Bay and Mangaung, and Buffalo City together with published information on the City of Cape Town. The report finds that every metropolitan municipality already has the by-laws, structures and enforcement processes needed to identify and act against a bad or hijacked building, and that none has asked us as the IMC for new powers.

The constraint lies, among other things, at the point of execution because court orders for eviction or remediation cannot lawfully be carried out because municipalities have no funded temporary emergency accommodation to place occupants in. The Constitutional Court has confirmed on several occasions that this duty rests with the municipalities.

In addition to the commissioned report in this regard, we have also engaged the mayors from all the metros, and they indeed validated the findings of the report. On 02 September 2026, the IMC convened a meeting with the  mayors wherein a concern was registered about loss of municipal revenue from hijacked buildings due to non-payment of rates, and of excessive water and energy use resulting from using buildings beyond regulatory approvals. In addition, mayors requested that consideration be given to repurposing under-utilised and vacant buildings for student housing and affordable rental as a preventative measure against both inner-city decay and dilapidation, and the criminal activity that has taken hold in many instances, including crime syndicates operating from prisons. Finally, mayors expressed support for a coordinated, and integrated national effort to address reclaim hijacked buildings, including joint law enforcement operations and management between the various sector departments. 

Ladies and Gentlemen, metros have registered about 2 400 non-compliant buildings. We have thus resolved to prioritise three interventions in this regard: a national funding model, led by the Department of Human Settlements, for temporary emergency accommodation; prioritisation of hi-jacked-building matters by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development in the Magistrates' and High Courts; and adoption of a single national definition and reporting template, to be coordinated by the Department of Cooperative Governance, so that the scale of the problem can be measured consistently across all eight metros.

Again, we would like to emphasize that we are undertaking this important assignment to bolster our efforts to rehabilitate the dilapidated inner-city environment but also to get rid of the criminal enclaves in these buildings. Our law enforcement is also geared towards dealing with the criminal syndicates that operate these buildings through illegal collection of rent and other forms of abuse suffered by illegal occupiers.

We remain firmly committed to managing migration in a manner that is lawful, orderly, humane and consistent with the Constitution and South Africa's international obligations. Let us now turn into progress on the five-point plan which as a reminder consists of the following:

1. Cracking down on migration violations
2. Securing South Africa's borders
3. Strengthening the immigration system
4. Closing gaps in laws and policies
5. Working together with other countries

Crackdown on migration violations and law enforcement

In this area, we have intensified multi-disciplinary law enforcement operations targeting illegal border crossings, fraudulent documentation, labour exploitation, human trafficking networks, illegal mining operations and other forms of organised crime linked to migration vulnerabilities.

From our case management point of view, we are pleased to report that to date, two hundred and five (205) cases have been registered, with three hundred and fifty-four (354) persons arrested and one hundred and twenty-three (123) cases on the court roll. This is significant work done by law enforcement authorities and our criminal justice system to ensure that we hold those who are breaking the law to account.

Regarding multi-disciplinary enforcement, we are also pleased to announce that to date we have conducted more than three hundred and fifty thousand (350 000) inspections across all industries and sectors. Among these are factories, supermarkets, spaza shops many of whom were found to be non-compliant with labour and health related standards and legal prescripts, especially the employment of illegal immigrants. We are continuing with this important work and once again would like to warn employers to respect the laws of the country and desist from deliberately employing illegal immigrants in their firms and factories.

To bolster this work, we are pleased to announce that we have undertaken a massive redeployment of experienced inspectors and employment of interns. In this regard, 6, 317 labour inspectors for multi-disciplinary law enforcement (4,017 interns recruited and 2,300 inspectors released for joint blitz operations) have been finalized. 301 Department of Home Affairs Immigration Inspectors posts have been advertised, and the process of recruitment should be finalized by the end of this month.

We are also expediting our efforts in prioritizing the small business regulation environment, particularly focusing on Spaza Shops. You will recall that we previously announced the adoption of the Standard Draft By-laws for Township and Rural Economies (SDBs). In this regard, we are pleased to announce that thirty-four (34) municipalities have adopted the  these by-laws, one hundred and five (105) have adopted them through Council resolution, twenty one (21) are in the process of adoption..

To add to this important effort, we are pleased to announce that the Business Licensing Bill was presented to NEDLAC in June 2026. The Bill seeks to reserve certain businesses to citizens.

We have also embarked on an important exercise regarding the Traffic Register Number (TRN) which is an identification number that is issued by the Department of Transport to foreign nationals who are lawful in the country. This TRN allows holders to perform road related transactions on the National Traffic Information System (eNaTIS) such as car registrations, licensing and obtaining of driver’s licenses.

This system has been abused for some time especially by illegal foreign nationals. As such, on 7 August 2026, the Department of Transport (DOT) published an official notice in the Government Gazette, targeting the cancellation and verification of dormant Traffic Register Numbers (TRNs) issued between January 1, 2000, and June 30, 2023. Dormant TRNs on which no representation was received within 30 (thirty) working days from date of publication of the notice or upon the expiry of the representations period, shall be formally cancelled on the NaTIS as the official register. All dormant TRNs that could not be verified have been cancelled as of 04 September 2026.

These operations demonstrate government's zero-tolerance approach to criminality irrespective of nationality while ensuring that all enforcement actions are undertaken within the framework of the law and respect for human rights.

Securing South Africa’s Borders

Significant progress has been made in strengthening border management and improving coordination among agencies operating at ports of entry and along vulnerable border areas. In this regard, we are pleased to announce that Cabinet approved the Borderline Infrastructure Improvement Plan (2026–2030) to strengthen and modernise South Africa’s borderline infrastructure as part of government’s broader migration management strategy. 

The plan will be implemented across all seven border provinces and will improve border security, patrol mobility, operational response times, personnel safety, infrastructure maintenance and intergovernmental coordination, while deterring illegal cross-border incursions.

Home Affairs has intensified the efforts of modernising the border management environment with the launch of the Electronic Traveller Authorisation (“ETA”) and the upgraded Enhanced Movement Control System (“EMCS2.0”) at the OR Tambo Airport by the President on 12 August 2026.

More than 4 200 undocumented foreign nationals were intercepted attempting to enter South Africa outside formal ports of entry between April and July 2026, highlighting continued gaps in border control even as almost 90 000 people were repatriated. Most of the undocumented migrants were caught along the northern corridor bordering Zimbabwe, followed by areas bordering Lesotho and Mozambique.

Joint border law enforcement operations have been intensified of which 81 operations were conducted in July 2026.

Ladies and Gentlemen and Fellow South Africans, the Republic of South Africa has an extensive land borderline of approximately 4471km, shared with six neighbouring countries and traversing varied and challenging terrain. Overtime, border security infrastructure has deteriorated significantly, with large sections of fencing damaged, vandalised, or absent and critical access roads in poor condition. This has negatively affected border safeguarding operations, limiting patrol mobility, delayed response time, increased strain on personnel and equipment, and creating vulnerability exploited by illegal crossing, smuggling and transnational crime. A Cabinet memorandum on the proposed borderline infrastructure improvement solution was approved by Cabinet recently and National Treasury is finalising the funding model for the project.

We are also pleased to report progress on the recently launched Customs Online Traveler Declaration. This system started to operate on 01 July 2026 in terms of which travelers are expected to make declarations prior to arrival or departure at a port of entry. The system is functioning well with no major concerns reported. Single windows are utilized for cargo. Scanners are operational at all major land ports, all airports & all seaports

Regarding drone deployments, The Border Management Authority (BMA) actively operates 5 drones across critical border points: Lebombo, Maseru, Oshoek, Beitbridge, and KwaZulu-Natal. A procurement process for 9 additional drones is underway. We are also deploying about forty (40) body-worn cameras to enhance on-the-ground operational visibility and eradicate internal corruption. They are stationed at all our critical ports of entry.

Of importance is also to announce that the BMA and the National Consumer Commission signed a Memorandum of Understanding in July 2026 aimed at improving integrated border management and combating illicit cross-border trade.

Government remains committed to improving surveillance, inspections and operational coordination at ports of entry to ensure that South Africa's borders are secure while facilitating legitimate travel and trade. The numbers across various categories on the immigration space speak for themselves.

Between 14 June and 20 August 2026, a total of 86 596 foreign nationals were processed for deportation and repatriation through coordinated law enforcement operations. The Malawians continued to constitute the biggest population followed by the Zimbabweans and the Mozambicans. Data indicates that 90% of repatriated foreigners entered the country illegally with 95% classified as border jumpers.

You would recall that towards the end of June 2026, we announced the establishment of the Temporary Repatriation Processing Centre (TRPC) in Musina. The centre had a capacity of accommodating 20 000 persons. At its peak, the centre processed more than 4 thousand repatriations. However, we observed a significant decline in the demand with the lowest number of 58 repatriations in August. Due to the remarkable decrease in the number of repatriations, the IMC took a decision to the shut down the TRPC.

The repatriation operations at the TRPC were shut down on 21 August 2026 and the centre has been decommissioned. This heralds the return to normal immigration law enforcement operations. The DHA will continue to work with countries that require assistance for the repatriation of their citizens as and when requested formally.

Strengthening South Africa’s immigration system

In this regard, we are modernising the immigration system through legal, policy and technological reforms designed to improve efficiency, integrity and service delivery.

Key progress in this area includes:

• The Department of Home Affairs is drafting a new legal framework to improve the management of citizenship and immigration and to create a more effective and efficient migration system.
• As mentioned before, we have launched the Electronic Travel Authorisation initiative as part of efforts to strengthen digital immigration systems and border security.
• Multidisciplinary inspections have been conducted across Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape to improve compliance with immigration, employment and labour regulations.

These reforms are aimed at building a modern, secure and responsive immigration system capable of reducing fraud, improving compliance and supporting economic growth.

Economic impact And compliance

The IMC has also engaged and worked closely with stakeholders to address concerns that have been raised about the participation of South Africans in various economic sectors in comparison to immigrants. In addition, the IMC has conducted sector specific engagements mindful of the fact that South Africa has a globalised and globalising economy with economic interdependencies, through inbound and outbound investments, with other economies in the African continent and the world. In this regard, the Department of Small Business Development and Department of Trade, Industry and Competition have been engaging various stakeholders ranging from small to big businesses. DSDB met with Traditional leadership in Eshowe, on 13 August 2026, to discuss Spaza Shops ownership and operation, and after that met with 200 entrepreneurs to discuss various options to re-ignite and Strengthen the Spaza Shop and informal economy.

On 07 August 2026, DTIC held engagements with BUSA, BLSA, Mineral Council of South Africa, Kumba resources, Take-a-lot, Spur Group, Airlink and other business formations to deal with immigration its impact on the economy. Further engagements included commercial farmers, the mining sector, the financial sector and the tourism industry. On 07 August, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Mr Ronald Lamola and ABSA CEO, Mr Kenny Fihla co-chaired and ambassadorial breakfast on strengthening economic diplomacy, trade and investment across the African continent.

All social partners and stakeholders agree that the net effect of immigration should be economic growth by enriching the labour force, boosting productivity, and contributing a net fiscal surplus.

Closing gaps in laws and policies

We continue reviewing legislation, regulations and enforcement mechanisms to ensure that migration management responds effectively to current realities.

This work includes the following:

• The process of drafting a new unified and harmonised legal framework for regulating citizenship, immigration and regulations is underway following the appointment of a legal drafting service provider. The DHA intends to gazette the Bill for public comments during the course of the year and to submit the final Bill to Cabinet by the end of the 2026/27 financial year.
• The Services Amendment Bill has been introduced in Parliament for further processing.
• The Businesses Licensing Bill is currently being processed through the clusters. The Bill introduces a clause that seeks to reserve certain business activities and sectors wholly or partly for South African.
• A Cabinet memorandum on the SADC Protocol on Interstate Transfer of Sentenced Offenders was approved Cabinet.
• During the recent RSA-Zimbabwe Bi-National Commission held in Pretoria, and agreement was reached on a framework for transferring prisoners between countries.

The objective is to establish a coherent legal framework that protects national interests, supports economic development and safeguards constitutional rights.

Working With Other Countries

Ladies and Gentlemen and Fellow South Africans let me once again thank all role players and the people of South Africa in general for the hosting of the successful 46th Ordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government in August of this year. Once more, we have demonstrated that we are an important global, continental and regional partner.

Among others, the summit dealt with critical issues regarding migration, looking at underlying drivers for migration, irregular movement and transit migration, social cohesion pressures and sustainable, effective regional responses.

The summit also endorsed the proposal by the Republic of South Africa for the convening of a multi-sectoral regional dialogue on migration by 31 December 2026. It is true that migration is a regional and continental challenge that requires cooperation among countries of origin, transit and destination.

We have in the past few months intensified diplomatic and operational engagement with neighbouring countries and regional structures to improve migration management and border security. In this regard, the Border Management Authority has signed joint action plans with Lesotho, Mozambique and Eswatini aimed at reducing undocumented migration through coordinated operations and information sharing. These structures meet regularly to monitor implementation and address emerging challenges.

We will continue to engage affected countries regarding repatriation processes and migration-related concerns, while maintaining South Africa's commitment to regional cooperation, mutual respect and shared development.

Conclusion

The Inter-Ministerial Committee remains satisfied that the implementation of the Five-Point Plan is yielding tangible results. Law enforcement operations are being intensified, border management is being strengthened, immigration systems are being modernised, legislative reforms are advancing, and regional cooperation is expanding.

Government calls on all South Africans to support lawful migration management processes, reject misinformation and disinformation, and allow law enforcement agencies to perform their constitutional responsibilities. South Africa is a nation governed by the rule of law, and migration challenges will be addressed through lawful state processes and not through vigilantism or violence.

Thank you

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