Porous borders undermine SA’s deportation drive
Weak border controls could allow deported migrants to return, while authorities struggle with limited resources.
South Africa's efforts to deport illegal immigrants have been challenged by the country's porous borders, leaving many feeling that the deportations are ineffective. Protesters in Pretoria West demanded police action against undocumented immigrants in Gomora informal settlement. During bylaw enforcement operations in Pretoria North, Centurion, Sinoville, and Cullinan, the Tshwane Metro Police Department arrested 48 undocumented foreign nationals.
President Cyril Ramaphosa launched South Africa's Electronic Travel Authorisation system at Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport, which has already rejected 6,126 fraudulent applications and processed 216,000 applications. However, political expert Piet Croucamp argues that South Africa lacks the political will and resources to build a wall or control the border, citing the country's 3,700km direct border and the lack of funds for basic border management.
The portfolio committee on home affairs called on the Department of Home Affairs and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation to share the costs of deporting nationals, which amounted to R292 million in the past week. The Malawi government has facilitated the return of 56,723 Malawians.
Written by urgent.news from The Citizen's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
