The Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Migration has emphasised that Tuesday, 30 June, will be a normal day for the country, but the government will ensure that lives and properties are not harmed.

“No one must stop anyone from going to work or getting involved in their social activities, nor even prevent any transport or anything from being able to move, because that would be illegal, and they will have to face the consequences,” IMC chairperson and minister of justice and constitutional development Mmamoloko Kubayi said.

IMC warns that 30 June will be normal

The IMC provided the nation with an update on Friday on the progress made to the government’s comprehensive approach to managing migration, as announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa on 7 June.

In terms of managing irregular migration through deportations and repatriation, the committee said there has been progress.

Malawi, Ghana, Nigeria, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Kenya, and the Democratic Republic of Congo had requested to repatriate their nationals at their own cost.

Kubayi said the repatriation is voluntary, and the requesting countries handled the transport and logistics, while South Africa provides provinces with verification, orders to leave, and case-by-case humanitarian assistance.

The government said the scenes at Sherwood and Che Guevara, Durban Drive-in, and eMsunduzi areas in KwaZulu-Natal became untenable due to the numbers, and a humanitarian emergency arose.

The department of home affairs intervened in the matter, and as of 25 June, 15 162 Malawians have been processed, with more verification happening at temporary centres nationwide.

Over 15 000 Malawians processed

“I think it indicates the extent to which we are determined to go above and beyond to ensure that we manage these processes in a lawful, orderly, and human manner,” Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said.

To fast-track processing, the Musina Refugee Reception Office’s jurisdiction was extended to conduct verification, and logistics were activated with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Organisation for Migration, the Red Cross, and others.

The government also announced that a new temporary repatriation processing centre outside Musina, Limpopo, will replace the eThekwini site, enabling faster verification, efficient Beitbridge clearance, and reducing reliance on the Lindela Repatriation Centre.

Schreiber also stressed that people who violate laws do not lose their inherent human dignity and human rights.

“Some who violate a law or who are alleged to have violated the law, whether someone is accused of theft or someone is accused of illegally entering the country, do not void or lose their inherent human dignity or human rights,” the minister said.

Regarding crackdowns on law violations, the committee said law enforcement is the state’s responsibility and that 30 June will be normal. The IMC vowed to protect citizens and foreign nationals from abuse and intimidation.

Security measures in place after Tuesday

Acting police minister Firoz Cachalia added that security measures will be in place after 30 June.

The committee said that 89 public order and incitement cases had been registered by 21 June, leading to 164 arrests for incitement, gathering violations, and related offences.

The government also strongly condemned the anti-immigration protests and looting in the Free State on 16 and 18 June, saying that vigilantism and targeting individuals by nationality are criminal acts.

“There is a narrative out by those organising this reckless, disruptive behaviour that they are acting in the interest of our citizens and our people. In fact, their behaviour has economic, financial, human, and diplomatic costs,” Cachalia said.

“They are acting in a way that harms our citizens, their well-being, and our national interest.”

The acting minister stressed the government’s responsibility to defend the people and sovereignty and uphold the law, warning that those involved in disruptive behaviour will face criminal and possibly civil consequences.

Vigilantes can be held liable for injury or damage

“I don’t know if many of them are aware that they can be held civilly liable for any injury or damage to property that is the result of efforts at incitement, so what we’re experiencing is not costless,” he said.

In terms of securing South Africa’s borders, the IMC said the Border Management Authority, with the Saps, South African National Defence Force, and other agencies, maintains heightened vigilance at all land, air, and sea ports with static checkpoints and roadblocks at key corridors, including Beitbridge.

Kubayi said she is leading urgent border infrastructure improvement, with vulnerable areas mapped and priority crossings identified.

The South African National Space Agency will also provide satellite imagery to monitor illegal activities along borders.

Regarding labour matters, the minister of employment and labour, Nomakhosazana Meth, said the president’s plan to employ 10 000 labour inspectors will address the current shortfall of 2 300 inspectors tasked with overseeing over 2 million companies.

She said the first cohort of inspector interns will be employed over three years, with 3 800 onboarded by April and 7 300 in the final stages.

R5bn budget for inspectors

A budget of R5 billion has been allocated, and the department is engaging with the National Treasury and other entities for funding.

Meth also warned that employers found employing undocumented migrants will also face prosecution. She warned them to check the department’s database on unemployed South Africans to avoid employing undocumented foreign nationals.

“The reason why they opt for these undocumented foreigners is to exploit them and pay them at a rate that is below the national minimum wage,” the minister said.

In terms of working with other African nations, the committee said South Africa is deepening bilateral cooperation.

International Relations and Cooperation Deputy Minister Thandi Moraka is meeting with Mozambique next week to address the May 2026 deaths of Mozambican nationals.

IMC said Saps’ investigations found only two of six reported Mossel Bay unrest deaths were related to anti-immigration violence. Three died in a car accident and one in an entertainment venue altercation.

All six bodies have been repatriated.

Clarity on deaths

One Malawian national was killed during a Pietermaritzburg march. The body has not been repatriated, but all cases have an active docket.

International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola said the department maintains diplomatic relations with affected countries through dynamic communication with missions and ambassadors.

He also addressed misinformation about incidents involving foreign nationals, such as the alleged killing of Nigerians and Mozambicans.

“There is no Nigerian national that has been killed during this wave of protests,” the minister said.

He added that there was also misinformation about murdered Ethiopians and hospitalised Ghanaian nationals.

“There is no such,” he said.

Bafana Bafana boycott

Lamola also noted the impact of social media campaigns regarding African countries not supporting Bafana Bafana in the 2026 Fifa World Cup.

The minister stressed that not all Africans support hate campaigns, just as not all South Africans are xenophobic.

“We continue to engage with our counterparts across the continent to say, let’s handle it with the sensitivity it deserves, in a diplomatic manner. All of us can handle it, and there is no reason for it to end up impacting negatively on diplomatic relations between South Africa and those countries,” Lamola said.

Kubayi concluded by saying that migration challenges must be addressed through the Constitution and rule of law, warning the government won’t tolerate illegal immigration, vigilantism, or violence.

She also urged undocumented workers and employers to comply with immigration and labour laws.

“We repeat that the 30th of June, 2026, will be a normal day for the country; economic and social activities will not be disrupted,” she stressed.