Pretoria: President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to address the nation on government's comprehensive strategy to manage migration, as concerns over illegal immigration continue to dominate public discourse. Minister in The Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni stated that Cabinet had received and approved a comprehensive approach to migration in South Africa, developed by the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration, as well as the National Action Plan (NAP) on Migration in South Africa.
According to South African Government News Agency, Ntshavheni revealed during a media briefing in Pretoria that the President will address the nation on this critical matter following the outcomes of Wednesday's Cabinet meeting. She emphasized the importance of not resorting to self-enforcement of laws by citizens in response to illegal migration.
The government has introduced several measures to curb illegal immigration, including the establishment of the Border Management Authority (BMA) in 2023 to strengthen border control. The BMA is responsible for border law enforcement functions at land, air, and maritime ports of entry, as well as in border law enforcement areas. The Department of Home Affairs has also increased the number of deportations of undocumented foreign nationals year on year since 2022, despite capacity constraints.
Furthermore, Cabinet approved the revised White Paper on Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Protection in March 2026. This approval followed an extensive public consultation process led by the Department of Home Affairs, which engaged all nine provinces and collected thousands of submissions from stakeholders and the public. The revised White Paper outlines policy priorities that represent a significant reform of South Africa's citizenship, immigration, and refugee protection framework. It aims to curb fraud and abuse, strengthen national security, enhance service delivery through digital transformation, and support economic development.
The Department of Employment and Labour has finalized the National Labour Migration Policy, which introduces maximum quotas for documented foreign nationals and provides for the prosecution of employers who hire undocumented foreign nationals. In addition, Cabinet has approved for submission to Parliament the Employment Services Amendment Bill, which empowers the Minister of Employment and Labour to set quotas for the employment of foreign nationals in any economic sector or occupational category.