The article argues that South Africa's focus on securitizing borders to curb irregular migration is ineffective and costly.It highlights that most undocumented migrants are actually documented individuals overstaying visas or working without authorization.A more affordable solution would be a visa regime acknowledging inevitable cross-border movement between neighboring countries.The government's recent R12.5 billion public-private partnership to modernize border infrastructure risks slowing trade and travel if overly restrictive.

Meanwhile, repatriation efforts have seen tens of thousands of migrants returned, though critics warn about the potential for creating refugee camps without parliamentary approval.

The piece calls for regularizing existing migrants and developing legal pathways to reduce irregular migration, emphasizing regional integration and free trade as key strategies.