Pretoria: Improved collaboration between stakeholders, among others, has led to the increased deportation of illegal immigrants in the 2024/25 financial year that ended on 31 March 2025, the Department of Home Affairs said.
According to South African Government News Agency, ‘The Department of Home Affairs increased the number of illegal immigrants it deported to 46,898 in the 2024/25 financial year that ended on 31 March 2025,’ said the department, adding that the figure has risen by 18% compared to the previous year’s 39,672.
‘This marked increase in the effectiveness of enforcement operations demonstrates our commitment to upholding the rule of law. It also flows from improved collaboration between the Department of Home Affairs, the Border Management Authority, the South African Police Service (SAPS), and local law enforcement. It further reflects the impact of joint initiatives like Operation Vala Umgodi,’ Home Affairs Minister Dr. Leon Schreiber said in a statement on Wednesday.
According to the department, ‘this is the highest number of deportations carried out in at least five years.’
Last month, the department announced a comprehensive upgrade to its digital verification system, a crucial component of national security, as well as both public and private sector services in South Africa.
The verification system enables government departments, including National Treasury and the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), as well as financial sector businesses, to confirm client identities using biometric features, such as fingerprints and facial recognition, against the National Population Register.
‘This improved performance, coupled with our digital transformation reforms that will automate entry-and-exit to prevent people from entering the country illegally through our ports of entry, is contributing to enhanced national security and trade facilitation,’ the Minister said.