South Africa’s Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration will scale back operations at the Musina Temporary Repatriation Processing Centre in Limpopo from August 1, reducing the facility’s capacity from 20,000 people to 1,500 as migration flows ease.
Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamaloko Kubayi, who chairs the committee, announced the operational reduction at a media briefing on Sunday, July 26. The decision reflects a measurable decline in the number of foreign nationals requiring processing over the preceding three weeks, and marks a shift in the state’s enforcement posture after two months of intensive activity.
Additional reference context is available at https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-07-26-south-africa-scales-down-repatriation-efforts-as-migration-rates-decline/.
The committee’s work traces directly to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision in June to establish the inter-ministerial body to coordinate the government’s response following a five-point migration plan released on June 7. That plan committed the state to cracking down on immigration and labour law violations, strengthening border security, stamping out corruption in the immigration system, closing legal loopholes in migration policies, and working with other African countries.
The scale of enforcement since then has been substantial. Between June 14 and July 24, government authorities deported or facilitated the voluntary repatriation of 68,138 foreign nationals, most processed through the Musina centre after Malawian nationals first assembled at the Sherwood processing site in KwaZulu-Natal. The Border Management Authority separately processed 72,906 repatriations through ports of entry between June 7 and July 14 across various nationalities.
Kubayi used the briefing to reinforce the state’s exclusive authority over immigration enforcement. “Allow us to do this work. When you go and do your own thing, you are disrupting and distracting us from the focus that we have,” she said. The minister condemned groups impersonating Home Affairs officials and conducting unlawful identity checks on suspected foreign nationals, noting that some activities had begun resembling extortion. Seven people were recently arrested in Polokwane for crimes committed under the guise of anti-foreigner movements and face criminal prosecution.
Meanwhile, dedicated immigration courts established across the country have recorded significant output. Between April 1 and June 30, these courts finalised 28,736 immigration-related matters, primarily linked to deportations. Gauteng accounted for almost half the caseload at 13,312, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 4,973 cases handled predominantly through Durban Central’s dedicated immigration courts. The Western Cape finalised 3,334 matters and the Eastern Cape concluded 2,019.
Infrastructure to support ongoing enforcement is also being expanded. Work is under way to establish a dedicated immigration court at OR Tambo International Airport on land designated by Airports Company South Africa, and upgrades to the immigration court at the Lindela Repatriation Centre are beginning. Integrated operations involving the South African Police Service, the Border Management Authority, Home Affairs, the Hawks and other agencies continue targeting illegal border crossings, human trafficking networks, labour exploitation, fraudulent documentation syndicates, illegal mining and criminal enterprises facilitating unlawful migration.
The committee has broadened its mandate to metropolitan governance challenges. On July 22, Kubayi met with mayors and officials from Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane to discuss a coordinated framework addressing hijacked and abandoned buildings, illegal land occupations, illegal mining and illegal trading. The discussions covered properties owned by municipalities, provincial and national government departments, and state-owned entities including Transnet and the South African Post Office, as well as privately owned buildings. Officials said these conditions posed safety risks and contributed to significant revenue losses. The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure has been directed to finalise both a national framework and an operational plan. Additional metropolitan municipalities are scheduled for consultation before the framework is concluded.
On the international front, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to Pan-African solidarity and rejected xenophobia after the Economic Community of West African States raised concerns about migration developments in the country. International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola has called for migration to become a standing agenda item at future African Union summits, arguing that African states should work together to address the root causes of irregular migration through improved governance, democracy and economic development.
Whether the reduced capacity at Musina signals a durable shift in enforcement tempo, or a temporary pause before the framework for metropolitan operations takes effect, remains to be seen as the committee moves toward finalising its national plan.