The Border Management Authority (BMA) says it has intensified immigration enforcement operations while also facilitating lawful repatriations at the Beitbridge Port of Entry in Limpopo.
This follows the repatriation of more than 800 foreign nationals to Malawi and Zimbabwe on Friday.
The repatriation comes after recent operations involving foreign nationals, mostly from Ghana and Nigeria.
“Today, the BMA facilitated the repatriation of 673 Malawian nationals and 202 Zimbabwean nationals through the Beitbridge Port of Entry as part of coordinated efforts with the Zimbabwean and Malawian foreign missions, supported by the Department of Home Affairs and the South African Police Service, among others.
The Zimbabwean nationals were transported on three buses from Gauteng, while the Malawian repatriation operation involved five buses from Durban in KwaZulu-Natal and a further five buses from Cape Town,” said BMA spokesperson Mmemme Mogotsi.
In addition, Mogotsi said 453 Malawian nationals who were detained at the Lindela Centre in Krugersdorp were deported and processed by BMA officials before being returned to their country of origin.
She highlighted that the deportation operation from Lindela was undertaken using seven buses dedicated to the transportation of Malawian deportees.
Meanwhile, BMA Commissioner Dr Michael Masiapato has commended officials for conducting the large-scale repatriation, deportation, and border enforcement operations at the border.
“I wish to commend the men and women of the Border Management Authority, together with our counterparts from the Department of Home Affairs, the SAPS and other stakeholders, for their professionalism, resilience and dedication.
The processing of large volumes of travellers under demanding conditions requires precision and endurance.
The BMA is upholding the rule of law while maintaining the dignity of all individuals undergoing repatriation and deportation processes,” said Masiapato.
According to the Commissioner, the scale of these operations — involving multiple buses travelling from different parts of the country and the coordinated processing of hundreds of individuals — reflects the increasing operational demands placed on the BMA.
While facilitating these operations, BMA officials simultaneously remained vigilant against attempts to circumvent South Africa’s immigration controls.
Masiapato further noted that, outside the coordinated repatriation and deportation arrangements, officials also processed several foreign nationals travelling through separate arrangements.
“In accordance with the provisions of the Immigration Act, seven Zambian nationals, one Tanzanian national, 28 Zimbabwean nationals and 33 Malawian nationals exited South Africa after having overstayed in the country.
They were also fingerprinted, declared undesirable, and facilitated for departure from the Republic,” he said.
