Question NW4320 to the Minister of Home Affairs

Share this page:

05 December 2022 - NW4320

Profile picture: van der Merwe, Ms LL

van der Merwe, Ms LL to ask the Minister of Home Affairs

(1)What interventions has his department undertaken in Hillbrow and other communities to ensure that all who live and work within the borders of the Republic are legally permitted to do so; (2) what is the position of his department on estimates by some that the Republic is home to approximately 15 million illegal and/or undocumented migrants; (3) how does his department intend to address the prevalence of undocumented and/or illegal migrants within communities; (4) whether he has found that the daily growing numbers of illegal and/or undocumented migrants is a national crisis as his department is unable to implement its immigration legislation; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details in each case?

Reply:

(1) The department’s inspectorate is fully engaged in immigration operations and inspections. Areas such as Hillbrow and other communities are regularly visited by immigration officials who conduct compliance. The Inspectorate unit deployed a dedicated team to Diepsloot from 6th April 2022 to 8th July 2022 where 1910 arrests were made for illegal migration. The department also conducts its own multi-stakeholder operation called “Operation Siyasibenta” on a monthly basis. On 11 November 2022 Siyasibenta operations were focused on farming areas around country with a total of 111 foreign nationals arrested for being undocumented.

(2) The department does not believe that figure is accurate as we have not been provided scientific evidence that it is so. The most credible source the department is aware of is the figures given by the Statistician General Risenga Maluleke where a figure of 3.95 million foreign nationals are said to be in South Africa according to their mid-year population estimates in 2021.

(3) The department will continue with its enforcement activities within the country as well as the deployment of the newly formed Border Guard of the Border Management Authority to the borders.

(4) The prevalence of undocumented migrants is a global due to push factors relating to either economic and environmental. The department is able to implement its legislation and has been doing so. In addition to this the department co-operates with other departments and foreign governments to tackle the problem.

END

Source file