President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation on Sunday from Pretoria, admitting government failures in managing illegal immigration and outlining new measures to strengthen borders and enforcement.
Ramaphosa spoke amid ongoing anti-foreigner protests and repatriations of foreign nationals. He said the government accepts responsibility for weaknesses in migration management, including corruption and loopholes, and will phase out the green ID document within three months while relocating refugee reception centres to border posts starting with Tshwane this year. The president warned that only authorised officials may enforce immigration laws and rejected vigilantism. He announced plans for dedicated immigration courts, increased penalties for employers hiring undocumented workers, and recruitment of 10,000 labour inspectors. Democratic Alliance leader Geordin Hill-Lewis welcomed the address but stressed the need for economic reforms. Economic Freedom Fighters MP Sam Matiase questioned the timing and said the speech offered no solutions. Repatriation flights and buses carried Ghanaians, Nigerians and Malawians home over the weekend, while a protest called the Benoni Shutdown was scheduled for Monday afternoon.
