Wayne Lumbasi
South Africa has sharply increased deportations of undocumented migrants amid rising unemployment and growing public frustration over scarce job opportunities.
According to the Department of Home Affairs, more than 51,000 foreign nationals were deported over the past year, a significant rise from the previous year’s 39,000. The figure places South Africa ahead of major European countries such as France and Germany in the number of annual deportations.
Officials say the surge follows tighter border enforcement and improved cooperation between the Department of Home Affairs, the Border Management Authority, and the South African Police Service. The government has introduced enhanced digital tracking systems and increased workplace inspections in an effort to curb illegal migration.
The move comes as South Africa’s unemployment rate climbed to 33.2 percent in the second quarter of 2025, with the expanded rate which includes discouraged job seekers exceeding 43 percent. Youth unemployment remains among the highest in the world, with nearly two thirds of young people out of work.
Government officials argue that the crackdown is intended to protect local jobs and uphold immigration laws. However, analysts warn that deportations will do little to address the structural causes of unemployment in an economy that grew by only 0.1 percent in early 2025. Persistent power shortages, weak investment, and slow reform continue to constrain job creation.
Human rights groups have raised concerns about the humanitarian impact of mass deportations and the potential for xenophobic tensions in communities already under economic pressure. South Africa has previously experienced outbreaks of violence targeting foreign nationals particularly from neighboring countries such as Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Malawi.
The Department of Home Affairs maintains that the operation is being conducted in line with legal and human rights standards. Still, observers caution that without stronger economic growth and inclusive job creation, migration enforcement alone will not ease the frustration driving social tensions across the country.
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