Home affairs minister Leon Schreiber has revealed that 109,735 undocumented foreign nationals were arrested and deported in South Africa over the past five financial years, spanning 2021/2022 to 2025/2026.

The figures were provided in a written parliamentary response to MK Party MP Mnqobi Prince Msezane, who had requested detailed information on undocumented migrants and alleged employment of individuals without valid work permits in both public and private sectors.According to the minister, immigration enforcement efforts included 6,279 workplace inspections and operations conducted over the period.These actions resulted in 8,180 employers being charged for hiring foreign nationals without valid documentation.Authorities emphasised that enforcement measures were intelligence-driven and also based on rapid response operations to reported incidents.

The department further indicated plans to use handheld mobile devices in the field to improve real-time verification of immigration status, which is expected to increase the efficiency of arrests and enforcement.In addition, Schreiber noted that penalties under the Immigration Act are being applied to non-compliant employers.During a nationwide enforcement exercise last year, 68 employers and 322 foreign workers were found in violation.Each employer was fined R10,000 through admission of guilt, resulting in a total of R680,000 collected in fines.The Eastern Cape recorded the highest number of non-compliant employers, followed by Mpumalanga, Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape.Of the 322 undocumented workers identified, Limpopo accounted for the largest share, followed by the Western Cape and Gauteng among others.

The department also reported that between April 2023 and March 2024, it processed 6,255 work permit applications, rejecting 5,383 while approving 872.Most approved permits went to Zimbabwean nationals, followed by applicants from Lesotho, Mozambique and Namibia.Key sectors involved included mining, agriculture, and education and training.

The data highlights ongoing enforcement efforts by the Department of Home Affairs to address illegal immigration and improve compliance with South Africa’s immigration laws through inspections, prosecutions and administrative reforms.