SA President Lists 5 Ways He Plans to Curb Illegal Immigration by Ghanaians, Other Africans

SA President Lists 5 Ways He Plans to Curb Illegal Immigration by Ghanaians, Other Africans

  • South African President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation to announce a five-point strategy aimed at curbing illegal immigration
  • Authorities planned to jail employers who hire undocumented workers and establish dedicated courts to speed up deportations
  • Officials recorded that the Border Management Authority intercepted over 450,000 people attempting to enter the country illegally in the past year

Don't miss out! Get your daily dose of sports news straight to your phone. Join YEN's Sports News channel on WhatsApp now!

The South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced a strict five-point strategy to crack down on illegal migration across the nation.

Cyril Ramaphosa, Illegal immigration, South Africa, undocumented workers, immigration law, employment of undocumented migrants, anti-foreigner sentiment, South African immigration policy
The South African government lists 5 measures to curb illegal immigrants from Ghana and other countries. Image credit: Anadolu Ajansi
Source: UGC

This executive intervention follows a surge in anti-foreigner marches and rising citizens' frustrations over a 33% national unemployment rate.

According to a report by the BBC on June 7, 2026, the newly unveiled measures will directly impact undocumented immigrants from Ghana and other African countries.

Cyril Ramaphosa's five-point immigration strategy

President Ramaphosa acknowledged that illegal migration places unfair pressure on South Africa's public services and infrastructure.

Read also

Hungary to stop issuing work visas to 3 countries, Ghanaian job seekers on alert

To address the crisis, the president outlined a specific five-point plan focused on enforcement and systemic overhaul.

The five core pillars of the strategy include:

  • Cracking down on immigration law violators
  • Strengthening border security
  • Stamping out corruption within the immigration system
  • Closing loopholes in immigration law
  • Working with other African countries to tackle the problem

SA government renew working terms for migrants

As part of the implementation plan, the government will hire 10,000 inspectors to audit businesses.

Ramaphosa explained that unscrupulous employers who pay undocumented migrants below the minimum wage will now face imprisonment instead of simple fines.

Furthermore, the state will discontinue green ID books to eliminate identity theft, moving toward a biometric digital register for every person in the country.

"We will act against forces who are exploiting the concerns of our people about illegal immigration to further their own political, personal or criminal agendas," Ramaphosa told the public.

Read also

Canada warns nationals, Ghanaian permanent residents, others about marriage fraud

He also strongly cautioned citizens against vigilantism and door-to-door intimidation.

The president warned that no private individual is permitted to confront people on the street to demand proof of nationality, emphasising that only authorised officials may enforce immigration laws.

South African kid mistaken as foreigner dies

YEN.com.gh earlier reported that a heartbroken South African woman in Limpopo is pleading for financial help after her 19-year-old son, Nhlamulo Sambo, was fatally stabbed during xenophobic unrest on May 31.

The incident took place at Mossel Bay in South Africa’s Western Cape.

Source: YEN.com.gh

Authors:
Ruth Sekyi avatar

Ruth Sekyi (Entertainment Editor) Ruth Esi Amfua Sekyi is a Human Interest Editor at YEN.com.gh with 4+ years' experience across radio, print, TV, and digital media. She holds a B.A. in Communications (PR) from UNIMAC-IJ. Her media career began at Radio GIJ (campus radio), followed by Prime News Ghana. At InstinctWave, she worked on business content, playing major role in events organized by the company. She also worked with ABC News GH, updating their site, served as Production Assistant. In 2025, Ruth completed the ECOWAS, GIZ, and MFWA Information Integrity training. Email: ruth.sekyi@yen.com.gh