Over 100 undocumented foreign nationals were arrested as part of intensified law enforcement efforts in Limpopo.
AS tensions surrounding undocumented immigration continue to escalate in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and across South Africa, legal expert Susan Abro of Susan Abro Attorney is warning that while the law provides clear mechanisms for dealing with unlawful immigration, private citizens cannot assume the role of law enforcement.
Recent demonstrations and actions linked to the civic movement March and March have intensified debate around undocumented immigration, with numerous businesses closing, foreign nationals being intimidated, landlords issuing eviction notices, and private individuals demanding identification documents from people they suspect are not South African citizens.
These developments have also fuelled growing concerns about xenophobia, vigilantism and the erosion of the rule of law.
“There is an important distinction that many people are overlooking,” Abro says. “If a person is in South Africa unlawfully, our immigration laws provide for the appropriate legal processes, including detention and deportation where applicable.
