President Cyril Ramaphosa has acknowledged shortcomings in South Africa's migration management system, admitting that weak enforcement of immigration laws, corruption, and systemic failures have contributed to growing public frustration and declining confidence in government controls.
Addressing the nation on Sunday, Ramaphosa said South Africans have every right to expect better from government and assured citizens that steps are being taken to address the challenges.
The president said government has accepted responsibility for weaknesses in the system and is committed to strengthening immigration law enforcement.
"Government will accordingly take action to address the expectations of our people in dealing with the challenge of the violations of our immigration laws," Ramaphosa said.
His address follows weeks of demonstrations led by the March and March Movement, headed by Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, which has been calling for the deportation of undocumented immigrants.
Ngobese-Zuma, alongside broadcaster Ngizwe Mchunu, has demanded that undocumented migrants leave South Africa before 30 June.
While acknowledging public concerns about illegal immigration, Ramaphosa cautioned against individuals taking the law into their own hands.
"Only the authorised government officials may act against violations of the law, including violations of our immigration laws. No other person is allowed, for example, to confront someone in the street, in the pathways of our country, to demand proof of identity," he said.
The president also stressed that South Africa must reject xenophobia and all forms of intolerance.
"We know that South Africans are not xenophobic, as there is no space for xenophobia, for racism, for sexism, for Afrophobia or any other form of intolerance in South Africa. As communities and as a society, we must not be tempted to join those who want us to turn against people who were not born in South Africa and who are in our midst," he said.
Ramaphosa warned that legitimate concerns about immigration should not be exploited to fuel lawlessness or violence.
"We will and must not allow groups to use the legitimate concerns of South Africans to destabilise our country through inciting lawlessness and violence," he added.
The president said that while concerns around undocumented migration and unemployment are valid, illegal immigration should not be blamed for all of the country's economic challenges.
He announced that government would work with the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the African Union, and neighbouring countries through bilateral partnerships to develop long-term solutions to migration issues.
"As part of this effort, I will be sending envoys to a number of sister African countries to outline the measures that we are announcing this evening and to deal comprehensively with the issue of migration in cooperation with those countries," Ramaphosa said.
Government's response will be coordinated through the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration, while law enforcement, intelligence, and security agencies have been instructed to improve cooperation and strengthen implementation efforts.
Ramaphosa reiterated that while government remains committed to addressing illegal immigration, it will not allow the issue to be used as a means of destabilising the country.