Johannesburg – Political parties have differing views on how South Africa should deal with undocumented migrants, with ActionSA calling for deportations while the SACP backs documentation and regularisation.
ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba said undocumented migrants should be returned to their countries.
“It’s not about us. It’s about them and Home Affairs. So, we, as ActionSA, are saying those who are in the country illegally and undocumented, they must go back to their countries,” Mashaba told SABC News.
ActionSA leader, Herman Mashaba, disagrees with the idea of documenting illegal immigrants, not as a way of handing out citizenship, but regularising the immigrants and ensuring they are traceable. #SABCNews #IEC pic.twitter.com/247NKw1baU
— Sipho King K Kekana (@KingKAzania) September 23, 2026
SACP general secretary Solly Mapaila, however, said undocumented migrants should be documented and placed on a population register.
“No one should be illegally in the country, and they should be documented,” Mapaila said.
He added that South Africa needed “a proper system that can make sure that everyone who enters our country can be on our population register”.
The problem is not illegal immigration but the failed system of capitalism and the government that has handed power to the private sector, rendering it unable to solve the economic crisis, etc. That’s according to SACP General Secretary Solly Mapaila. #SABCNews #IEC pic.twitter.com/MQIx2Z7g7a
— Sipho King K Kekana (@KingKAzania) September 23, 2026
Stats SA said the 2022 Census recorded more than 2.4 million international migrants, but the census did not distinguish between documented and undocumented migrants.
The debate comes amid continued public and political concern over irregular migration and pressure on the government to strengthen immigration controls.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
