Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs, Mosa Chabane, has urged government departments to implement all the plans outlined by President Cyril Ramaphosa to address illegal migration.

In a statement on Sunday, the Chairperson said the plans should be implemented urgently, as many of the initiatives have already been included in the annual performance plans of various departments.

“We welcome the clear and comprehensive directives issued by the President. A failure to implement these measures will undermine the authority of the Head of State,” Chabane emphasised.

The Chairperson further noted that the President’s reaffirmation of the state’s authority to enforce the law is particularly important at a time of heightened anti-foreigner sentiment in the country.

He said law enforcement agencies must intensify their efforts to ensure that immigration laws are upheld and enforced effectively.

Chabane also underscored the importance of fighting corruption, noting that it has significantly weakened the implementation of the country’s immigration laws.

“Corruption is a cancer that erodes both the spirit and the intent of our immigration laws. Eradicating corruption will help ensure that our laws are implemented effectively and are not undermined,” Chabane said.

He also welcomed the President’s intention to engage fellow African countries on migration-related matters.

Chabane noted that illegal migration cannot be addressed in isolation, as it is closely linked to broader socio-economic and developmental challenges across the region and the African continent.

“What is critical is a coordinated, government-wide response aimed at enforcing the immigration laws that are already in force,” he said.

The Chairperson said plans to increase the number of labour inspectors within the Department of Employment and Labour, as well as immigration officers within the Department of Home Affairs, are critical to ensuring compliance with labour legislation by employers and the effective enforcement of immigration laws and regulations. –SAnews.gov.za

More than 700 000 households have now been removed from Eskom’s load reduction.

This as the power utility continues its programme to eliminate load reduction by 2027.

“About 714 513 customers across South Africa are no longer impacted, representing more than 42% of targeted households, with full elimination achieved in the Northern and Western Cape.

“The programme targets 971 feeders and will benefit approximately 1.69 million customers across all provinces, out of Eskom’s total customer base of 7.2 million. Key interventions include the rollout of smart meters, the integration of Distributed Energy Resources, and the expansion of Free Basic Electricity (FBE) support. These measures will be accompanied by targeted customer education initiatives,” Eskom said.

Since the inception of the programme, some 1.6 million smart meters have been deployed to households across the country.

“Of these, 295 462 units have been deployed on load reduction feeders, representing about 18% allocation to high priority areas. This targeted deployment is critical to easing grid pressure while empowering customers with real time consumption data and greater control over their energy usage.

“The rollout is deliberately focused on high-loss areas affected by illegal connections, meter bypassing, overloaded infrastructure and widespread electricity theft,” the power utility explained.

However, the rollout of smart meters has hit some challenges.

“Eskom has undertaken extensive community and stakeholder engagement through ward councillors, public meetings, radio platforms and social media to support the implementation of the programme.

“Despite these efforts, installation teams continue to face persistent resistance, including intimidation, violent incidents and repeated work stoppages. These disruptions have led to deployment delays, the redeployment of teams, and heightened safety risks for Eskom employees and contractors.

“As a result, over 122 000 planned meter conversions have been delayed to date, undermining the stability and predictability of the rollout programme,” Eskom noted.

Meanwhile, the power utility has recorded more than 385 days without implementing load shedding.
“System performance remains on an upward trajectory, with the financial year-to-date Energy Availability Factor improving to 63.05%, up from 57.67% over the same period last year, an increase of 5.38%.

“This marks sustained progress under Eskom’s turnaround strategy and a 9.89% [4.99GW] improvement compared to the corresponding period three years ago, supported by a continued reduction in unplanned outages and more consistent plant performance.

“To further ensure a stable electricity supply, Eskom will bring 3 903MW of generation capacity online ahead of the evening peak [tonight],” Eskom said. – SAnews.gov.za

Parliament will this week host a special intergenerational dialogue marking the 50th anniversary of the 1976 June 16 uprising, alongside a packed programme of debates, ministerial question sessions and committee meetings.

The dialogue, titled: “Youth Voices, Reading and Democracy”, will take place in the Good Hope Chamber on Monday and is being organised by Parliament’s Library Service in partnership with external stakeholders. 

The event will reflect on the legacy of the 1976 student uprising and its contribution to South Africa’s democracy. It will also serve as the launch of the National Library of South Africa’s Reading Ambassadors Programme.

The National Assembly will convene on Tuesday afternoon to consider a range of committee reports, statements and decisions. 

Among the key items on the agenda is a statement by the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment on the recently signed Beneficiation Scheme Framework Agreement with land claimants of the Kruger National Park. The agreement is intended to address land dispossession and promote inclusive economic participation.

Members of Parliament will also debate reports arising from oversight visits by defence and correctional services committees. 

These include assessments of military deployments along the South Africa-Zimbabwe border, visits to military bases and inspections of facilities such as Denel, Armscor and the Defence College.

The Assembly will further consider recommendations relating to the appointment of the Small Enterprise Ombud, as well as determinations on the remuneration of public office-bearers and members of independent constitutional institutions for the 2025/26 financial year.

In the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), policy debates on Tuesday will focus on the budgets of the Police Service, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate and the Civilian Secretariat for Police.

On Wednesday, Ministers in the Social Services Cluster will appear before the National Assembly to answer questions from MPs. The cluster includes the Ministers responsible for Basic Education, Health, Higher Education, Human Settlements, Social Development, Sport, Arts and Culture, and Water and Sanitation.

The NCOP will continue with policy debates during the week, including discussions on Public Works and Infrastructure, Tourism, Small Business Development and Cooperative Governance.

A key legislative matter before the National Assembly on Thursday will be the Defence Amendment Bill. The bill seeks to strengthen military justice by enhancing the independence of military judges and senior military judges.

Parliament’s oversight work will continue through two virtual mini-plenary sessions on Friday, where MPs will consider reports on oversight visits conducted in several provinces. 

The week’s programme will conclude with a meeting of the South African Speakers’ Forum in Johannesburg. The forum, which brings together parliamentary and provincial legislative leaders, serves as the highest coordinating structure of South Africa’s legislative sector.

In addition to sittings of both Houses, Parliament has scheduled 45 committee meetings during the week. – SAnews.gov.za

Government will establish an Intelligent Population Register containing biometric data for every person in South Africa and introduce new regulations to prevent the misuse of Traffic Registration Numbers (TRNs).

This is part of a broader effort to strengthen migration management while upholding constitutional values and human dignity.

Addressing the nation on migration and illegal immigration on Sunday evening, President Cyril Ramaphosa said government was taking decisive steps to strengthen identity management systems, close loopholes in immigration controls and improve enforcement against undocumented migration.

At the centre of the reforms is the creation of an Intelligent Population Register that will use biometric data to verify the identities of all people in the country and lay the foundation for a Digital ID system.

“We are establishing an Intelligent Population Register that contains biometric data for every person in the country, laying the foundation for a Digital ID,” the President said.

The move is intended to strengthen the integrity of South Africa’s identity management system and combat identity fraud. 

As part of the process, government will progressively phase out the green barcoded identity book, which President Ramaphosa said has been exploited by undocumented immigrants and criminal syndicates to facilitate identity theft.

“The Department of Home Affairs will set a date after which the green ID books will not be recognised,” he said.

Government is also moving to address the misuse of Traffic Registration Numbers, which are issued to foreign nationals for vehicle registration and ownership purposes. 

According to the President, the system has increasingly been used as a substitute form of identification, creating weaknesses in the country’s broader identification framework.

“We will end the abuse of the Traffic Registration Number, which foreign nationals require to register or buy vehicles, but which is being used as a form of identification,” Ramaphosa said.

To address this, the Department of Transport will issue new regulations within the next three months to align vehicle registration processes with South Africa’s identification laws.

The measures form part of a wider Comprehensive Approach for Migration Management adopted by Cabinet last week. The strategy includes stronger enforcement of immigration and labour laws, improved border security, anti-corruption measures within the immigration system and reforms to citizenship and migration legislation.

In his weekly newsletter to the nation following the address, President Ramaphosa said on Monday many South Africans had raised concerns about illegal immigration, including its perceived impact on jobs, economic opportunities, public services and crime.

“We are responding to real concerns that communities have about the effects that unchecked illegal immigration has on jobs and economic opportunities,” he wrote.

The President stressed that government’s response would be guided by the Constitution, the rule of law and South Africa’s international obligations.

While acknowledging concerns about illegal immigration, he said the overwhelming majority of foreign nationals in South Africa were not involved in criminal activity and warned against allowing migration issues to fuel intolerance or violence.

“The task of managing migration belongs to all of us,” he said, adding that only authorised state officials may enforce immigration laws.

The President said the new identity management measures, together with stronger border controls, enforcement actions and legislative reforms, are intended to ensure that everyone living, working and conducting business in South Africa does so lawfully, while preserving the country’s commitment to human dignity and social cohesion. – SAnews.gov.za

Police in the Sarah Baartman District in the Eastern Cape have arrested 139 suspects for a range of crimes, including drug dealing, robbery with aggravating circumstances and immigration offences.

The operations, which were conducted between 1 and 7 June, led to the arrest of 35 undocumented foreign nationals, as well as a 45-year-old documented Chinese business owner. 

The business owner was taken into custody during Operation Identity, which was carried out in St Francis Bay, Humansdorp and Hankey. 

The Chinese national was arrested under Section 49(3), read in conjunction with Section 38 of the Immigration Act No. 13 of 2002, for employing foreign nationals without valid permits. Fines totalling R55 500 were issued.

The operations come as government has recently adopted the Comprehensive Approach for Migration Management, which is aimed at, among others, strengthening border security, enforcing immigration laws and tackling corruption. 

In an address to the nation on Sunday, 7 June, President Cyril Ramaphosa outlined measures that showed unequivocally that government is upping the ante on weeding out illegal immigration and its concomitant effects, including organised crime.

“Illegal migration routes increasingly overlap with organised crime. Criminal syndicates involved in trafficking, extortion, illegal mining, drugs and money laundering often use undocumented migration for recruitment and concealment of goods,” the President said.

Government is stepping up pressure on businesses that insist on hiring undocumented immigrants, paying them wages that are well below the minimum wage and making them work longer hours without due compensation. 

“Employers who knowingly hire undocumented workers and exploit their vulnerability are breaking the law. They undermine labour standards. They undermine fair competition, and they undermine opportunities for South Africans,” the President said.

Clamping down on this practice has led to the Department of Employment and Labour launching the phased recruitment of 10 000 inspectors for this financial year, in order to rebuild labour enforcement capacity.

President Ramaphosa said penalties for errant employers will be increased, including imprisonment, for the violation of the Immigration Act. 

“We cannot have a situation where employers who, after being charged and found guilty of violating our laws, merely pay a fine and continue employing undocumented foreign nationals, whom they exploit.” 

Breaking the back of the drug trade

The Crime Intelligence-led operations held in the Sarah Baartman District also resulted in the arrest of 26 suspects, 11 of whom were arrested for dealing in or possession of drugs. 

Items recovered and illicit drugs seized during these operations include mandrax, tik, cocaine, magic mushrooms, and rock kat, with a combined estimated street value of more than R311 885.

Successfully executed tracing operations led to the arrest of 43 suspects for various crimes. Tactically focused combat operations secured a further 35 arrests.

The suspects are due to appear before various Magistrate’s Courts soon.

Brigadier Abduraghmaan Humphries, the Acting District Commissioner of the Sarah Baartman District, praised the joint efforts of the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the multidisciplinary teams involved in the various operations.

“South Africa is a constitutional country governed by laws that must be respected by both citizens and foreign nationals. 

“The root cause of illegal migration is often business owners exploiting undocumented workers for cheap labour, dodging minimum wages and bypassing local labour regulations,” said Humphries.

“Locals must report illegal employment through the proper channels rather than engaging in intimidation, violence or unlawful protests.” – SAnews.gov.za

President Cyril Ramaphosa says government will undertake a phased relocation of refugee reception centres to border posts, starting with the Tshwane centre this year.

“Many other countries have refugee reception centres close to the place where refugees enter the country seeking asylum or refuge,” the President said.

Addressing the nation on Sunday, President Ramaphosa said moving refugee reception centres closer to the country’s borders is intended to ensure asylum applications are processed more efficiently, securely and fairly.

“This will enable government to determine protection needs at the point of entry to ensure that those who genuinely require protection receive assistance as quickly as possible,” he said.

The President said a key part of government’s response to migration challenges is strengthening the immigration system by stamping out corruption and deploying cutting-edge technology.

“We are continuing the crackdown on corruption and inefficiencies in the Department of Home Affairs. We must recognise that illegal immigration is often enabled by corruption.

“Officials who sell documents, facilitate unlawful entry or abuse public office for personal gain betray the trust of the South African people. We will pursue these cases relentlessly.

“Those responsible are facing dismissal, criminal prosecution and the full consequences of the law,” he said.

President Ramaphosa reiterated that migration is a global reality and that South Africa must be prepared to embrace it.

“South Africa is a better country for migration. And we can become better still. But that means our laws need to be strengthened and more effectively enforced.

“It means that we must end illegal immigration and deal with the social, economic and security challenges to which it contributes.

“We must not allow ourselves to turn against foreign nationals or each other. We must all respect the Constitution, uphold the basic human rights of all people and consistently uphold the law of the land.

“We reject the notion that we must tolerate illegal immigration. We can protect our borders while protecting human dignity,” the President said.

He expressed confidence that South Africa can overcome the challenge of illegal immigration, just as it has overcome division, conflict and injustice in the past.

“South Africa has overcome far greater challenges than this. We will overcome this challenge too,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za

Government is set to intensify enforcement against employers who hire undocumented foreign nationals, as part of a broader effort to protect labour standards, promote fair competition and create opportunities for South Africans.

Addressing the nation on Sunday, President Cyril Ramaphosa said illegal immigration undermines efforts to create decent work and contributes to the exploitation of vulnerable workers. 

He acknowledged that some employers hire undocumented migrants because their legal status prevents them from standing up for their rights, allowing businesses to pay wages below the minimum wage and impose excessive working hours without proper compensation.

“We have uncovered a number of workplaces where undocumented migrants are made to labour under very bad conditions,” the President said, adding that employers who knowingly hire undocumented workers are breaking the law, undermining labour standards, fair competition and opportunities for South Africans.

President Ramaphosa said going forward, such conduct will face stronger penalties and stricter enforcement. 

As part of government’s Comprehensive Approach for Migration Management, authorities will intensify inspections of companies employing undocumented foreign nationals. 

The inspections will be carried out by the South African Police Service, the Department of Home Affairs and the Department of Employment and Labour.

To strengthen labour law enforcement, the Department of Employment and Labour has launched the phased recruitment of 10 000 inspectors during the current financial year.

Government also plans to increase penalties, including imprisonment, for employers who violate the Immigration Act. 

President Ramaphosa said authorities can no longer allow employers found guilty of breaking the law to “simply pay a fine” and continue exploiting undocumented workers.

Employment quotas

Government has finalised the National Labour Migration Policy, which proposes maximum quotas for the employment of documented foreign nationals and includes measures to deal with employers who hire undocumented workers. 

The Employment Services Amendment Bill, which has been approved by Cabinet for introduction to Parliament, will empower the Employment and Labour Minister to set quotas for the employment of foreign nationals in specific economic sectors and occupational categories.

President Ramaphosa said these measures form part of government’s efforts to ensure that businesses compete fairly, labour laws are respected and more opportunities are created for South Africans.

Transport sector

The transport sector has also been identified as an area requiring intervention. 

Government is implementing a plan developed with the logistics and freight industry, as well as labour organisations, to address violations of immigration and labour laws in the sector. – SAnews.gov.za