The Border Management Authority (BMA) has reported a staggering 9,154 arrests and deportations of individuals attempting to enter South Africa illegally between April and June 2024, marking one of the most aggressive enforcement periods in recent history.
BMA Commissioner Michael Masiapato revealed the figures during a press briefing in Pretoria on Sunday, detailing the authority’s intensified efforts to secure the country’s ports of entry, as accounted by EWN
According to the BMA’s quarterly report, 5,826 individuals were detained for being undocumented, while 2,127 were deemed inadmissible due to invalid entry permits. Another 2,001 were classified as ‘undesirable‘. a term used for those with criminal records or posing security risks.
‘Since July 2022, we have prevented over 400,000 people from entering the country illegally,’ Masiapato stated, underscoring the scale of the challenge.
Beyond human trafficking, the BMA also uncovered 300 vehicles being smuggled out of the country by organized crime networks. Additionally, 14 fraudulent passports with fake immigration stamps were seized, highlighting sophisticated attempts to bypass security.
‘These syndicates are relentless, but so are we,’ Masiapato emphasised.
The BMA plans to expand surveillance technology and increase patrols at high-risk crossings. However, with migration pressures unlikely to ease, the debate over security vs. humanitarian approaches persists.
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