Pretoria – The South African Police Service (SAPS) has introduced that almost 9 000 international nationals have been arrested within the final two weeks for breaching the nation’s Immigration legal guidelines.
The arrests had been made by the police, in shut collaboration with the Division of Residence Affairs, Border Administration Authority (BMA), and different authorities departments, which have sharpened their concentrate on immigration enforcement.
ISAPS mentioned 8 896 international nationals had been arrested nationwide prior to now 14 days for contravening the Immigration Act (Act No. 13 of 2002).
A few of these people additionally face extra prices involving severe and violent crime, together with homicide, rape, and possession of unlicensed firearms.
“These figures replicate the federal government’s dedication to deal decisively with unlawful immigration and associated offences throughout the nation,” police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Amanda van Wyk mentioned on Wednesday, 15 July 2026.
Final week, a number of operations carried out throughout Gauteng Province resulted within the arrest of greater than 800 undocumented international nationals.
In one of many operations, police, supported by the South African Nationwide Defence Drive (SANDF) and different stakeholders, arrested 217 suspects at Losberg Kloof Mine in Westonaria on 7 July 2026.
The operation focused unlawful mining actions and different associated felony offences within the space.
In Reitz, Free State, intelligence led officers to a biscuit manufacturing manufacturing unit on 03 July 2026, the place 9 undocumented international nationals had been arrested.
The suspects stay in custody pending immigration verification.
The municipality has been engaged, and the manufacturing unit faces closure whereas investigations proceed.
Authorities are weighing additional motion in opposition to the proprietor for alleged non-compliance.
In Limpopo, 5 suspects had been not too long ago arrested in Lephalale after they posed as Residence Affairs officers and unlawfully demanded the elimination of international nationals from Marapong township.
In the meantime, the Performing Nationwide Commissioner of the SAPS, Lieutenant Normal Puleng Dimpane, has issued a stern warning in opposition to illegal intimidation and harassment of international nationals.
“Violence, whether or not perpetrated by South Africans or international nationals, destroys communities, erodes belief, and can by no means be tolerated as an answer to resolve disputes,” mentioned Lieutenant Normal Dimpane.
“We urge communities to not take issues into their very own palms.
“Our women and men in blue are laborious at work in arresting those that contravene the legal guidelines of our nation.”
