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Local – Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has warned that law enforcement will act against anyone who illegally conducts identity checks on foreign nationals in the country.
Kubayi, who chairs the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Migration, was speaking at a media briefing in Pretoria on Sunday, following reports of isolated groups searching homes and businesses suspected of housing undocumented migrants. She said South Africans remained within their rights to protest against irregular migration, but that criminality would not be tolerated.
“This is illegal, and members of the community who are part of these activities are warned to refrain from such conduct,” Kubayi said.
The IMC strongly condemned the conduct of the groups involved, saying no citizen or organisation may assume the powers of the State. Kubayi stressed that immigration enforcement sits with the government alone, and that communities may not remove people from their homes or businesses.
“Government reiterates that the management of immigration, border management, deportation and facilitated repatriation is the exclusive responsibility of the State, and no individual or group has the authority to take the law into their own hands or to intimidate, threaten or unlawfully remove any person from any community,” she said.
Arrests and Cases
As of 8 July 2026, law enforcement had opened 205 cases linked to unlawful conduct, intimidation, incitement and related offences, with 350 suspects arrested. Of those cases, 69 were pending investigation, and 112 were on the court roll, Kubayi reported, adding that the government would continue to act firmly against criminality, vigilantism and public violence.
“Our law enforcement authorities will not hesitate to act against those who continue to conduct these unlawful searches and identity checks,” she added.
Repatriation and Deportation
The government continues to facilitate the return of foreign nationals to their home countries, guided by the Five-Point Plan for managing migration. The plan is intended to address South Africans’ concerns while upholding human rights and dignity, Kubayi said, noting a sharp rise in the number of people processed.
“We have seen a tremendous increase in the number of foreign nationals that have either been deported or repatriated. To date, a total of 53,449 foreign nationals have been processed for deportation and repatriation, which is dominated by Malawians, followed by Zimbabweans and Mozambicans,” she said.
