Question NW804 to the Minister of Home Affairs
08 April 2021 - NW804
van der Merwe, Ms LL to ask the Minister of Home Affairs
Whether he has found that there is a general increase in individuals who have transgressed their visa and other requirements and remained in the Republic beyond their allotted dates over the past five years; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what (a) are the relevant details and (b) is the estimated number of undocumented and/or illegal migrants in the Republic?
Reply:
(a) The total number of persons who have overstayed their visas from 2015 to 2020 according to data from the Movement Control System is 527, 972. The trend has shown a decrease in the number of overstay hits in most cases. As an example in the following ports the trend has been as follows: In Beit Bridge the overstay figures for the period 2015 to 2020 has seen a reduction from 26,972 in 2015 to 11,695 in 2020. In Lebombo a similar trend from 9007 in 2015 to 4673 in 2020, whilst in Maseru Bridge the 2015 overstay figures were 10846 to 6225 in 2020.
(b) The estimated number of undocumented and/or illegal foreigners in South Africa is difficult to determine as there are those who are not recorded on any system as they may have entered the country clandestinely.
END