The March and March Movement has criticised government's latest plans to tackle illegal immigration, arguing that the measures announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa do not adequately address the scale of the country's migration challenges.
The civic organisation was responding to Ramaphosa's national address on Sunday evening, during which he outlined a series of interventions aimed at strengthening immigration controls and improving migration management.
Among the measures announced was the relocation of refugee reception centres closer to South Africa's border posts, a move government believes will improve the management of asylum seekers and reduce pressure on urban centres.
The announcement comes amid growing public concern over illegal immigration and follows a series of anti-illegal immigration protests held across the country in recent weeks.
March and March leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma said the president's proposals were disconnected from realities on the ground and unlikely to succeed.
"I don't think the president was properly briefed. I don't think he took time to go to Home Affairs, to go to the borders, to find out the extent of the damage, because the issues that he is raising as solutions are impractical," Ngobese-Zuma said.
"I can tell you now that some of the things, if not all of what he said, are not going to be implementable."
In his address, President Cyril Ramaphosa acknowledged shortcomings in South Africa's migration management system, admitting that weak enforcement, corruption and systemic failures had contributed to declining public confidence in immigration controls.
Ramaphosa said South Africans have every right to expect better from government and assured citizens that authorities were taking decisive action to address the challenges.
"Government will accordingly take action to address the expectations of our people in dealing with the challenge of the violations of our immigration laws," he said.
The president revealed that Cabinet had adopted a Comprehensive Approach for Migration Management, which includes strengthening border security, increasing workplace inspections and improving the enforcement of immigration laws.
He also stressed that government had accepted responsibility for weaknesses in the current system and was committed to restoring public confidence.
While acknowledging concerns around undocumented migration, Ramaphosa warned against vigilantism, xenophobia and violence, emphasising that only authorised government officials are empowered to enforce immigration laws.
He reiterated that South Africa must remain committed to the rule of law and reject any attempts to use immigration concerns as a basis for unlawful conduct or social instability.
Government is expected to implement the new migration measures through coordinated efforts involving law enforcement agencies, border management authorities and the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration.