BMA deported 27,005 individuals attempting to enter SA illegally in two months

While South Africa’s porous borders remain an ongoing issue, the Border Management Authority (BMA) says it has made great progress in monitoring the movement of illegal migrants in and out of the country especially during the festive season.

The BMA provided a report-back on its festive-season border operations.

‘Noticeable increase’: BMA on festive season border movement

It said the festive season was a “remarkable time where a noticeable increase in the movement of persons and goods entering and exiting South Africa was experienced”.

South Africa has 71 ports of entry of which 52 are land, 10 are international airports and nine are seaports.

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Breakdown of border statistics

BMA commissioner Dr Mike Masiapato said the authority had managed to facilitate the legitimate movement of about 5 096 288 travellers across 71 ports of entry between 6 December 2023 to 18 January 2024.

He said in BMA’s implementation plan – which ran for 43 days from December 2023 to January 2024 – there were 15 924 undocumented individuals, 6 455 undesirables and 4 626 inadmissibles.

This resulted in 27 005 individuals being deported while attempting to enter South Africa illegally.

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