The question of whether to document illegal immigrants in South Africa, not to hand out citizenship, but to regularise immigration in the country and ensure people are traceable when crime is committed, among other things, is up for debate. However, different political parties seem to have different views on the issue.
As the country is battling the issue of illegal immigration, views on how to solve the problem have ranged from mass deportation to documentation of illegal immigrants.
ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba insists deportation is the way to go.
“No self-respecting country, anywhere in the world, would accept illegal foreigners. I don’t understand anyone expecting South Africa to test the chaos. So, for us as ActionSA, we are very clear about it in the municipalities where we govern: illegal, undocumented foreigners are not welcome,” says Mashaba.
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
According to Statistics South Africa, the 2022 census put the number of immigrants – both documented and undocumented – in South Africa at between 2.4 and 3.1 million.
In April of this year, the Department of Home Affairs reported that 109 344 deportations had been carried out since the formation of the Government of National Unity. Following the recent anti-illegal immigration protests in South Africa, thousands more deportations were recorded.
‘Not an option’
Speaking to SABC News following the National Electoral Code of Conduct signing ceremony in Midrand ahead of the upcoming local government elections, Mashaba insists questions around whether to document illegal immigrants amount to confusing legal with illegal.
He says that is a question Home Affairs should answer, but as a party, they are not willing to have that as an option.
“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,” he says.
‘Capitalist system’
However, the General Secretary of the South African Communist Party (SACP), Solly Mapaila, who also attended the IEC’s signing ceremony at the Gallagher Estate in Midrand, believes that focusing on illegal immigrants to solve the socio-economic challenges facing the country is misguided.
He argues that issues such as unemployment and crime are a direct result of the failure of the capitalist system, and says that this is where the focus should be.
“Well, it’s an unfortunate part, because the problem is not caused largely by illegal immigration. South Africa’s economy was built by migrants. This problem is a problem of capitalism, and I think that is where the focus should be,” he says.
He further argues that “The failure of the system of capitalism in South Africa and the collusion by the government to work with the system of capitalism to sell the public assets to private individuals, and that’s why the government has no capacity to respond to the challenges facing society, because it has handed over its power to unelected corporates in the private sector. That is the biggest problem, not the migrants.”
He says while the rule of law should be upheld, illegal immigrants shouldn’t be targeted by ordinary citizens taking the law into their hands.
“No one should be illegally in the country, and they should be documented. We need a proper system that can make sure that everyone who enters our country can be on our population register, whether South African or non-South African. That’s the essence. That’s the standard. It should be done that we regularise those who are in the country,” says Mapaila.
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
According to the Institute for Accountability in Southern Africa (IFAISA), several countries, including Spain, Ireland and Colombia, among others, have previously taken the initiative to document undocumented immigrants in order to regularise illegal immigration.
South Africa has also done the same in the past through the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP).
To document or not to document – the question remains.
