Since the demise of apartheid in 1994, South Africa has been confronted with a tide of humanity fleeing from countries north of the Limpopo River, which are confronting poverty, civil war, environmental catastrophe, or political mismanagement. Taking advantage of this situation, organized crime syndicates have seized on the opportunity to engage in human trafficking, arms running, and drug trafficking. Currently there are an estimated 285 organized crime syndicates operating in South Africa and an estimated 2.1 million to 4.1 million immigrants residing illegally in the country. Given the illegal nature of this form of migration, accurate figures are difficult to come by. However the estimate of 4.1 million is extrapolated from those who entered the country legally but who overstayed the validity of their visas and those who have been forcibly repatriated as well as from information provided by the alien investigation units of the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the various field offices of the Department of Home Affairs. Independent research conducted by the Human Sciences Research Council of South Africa has resulted in a similar figure. As a result, the Pretoria government, like its European and American counterparts faces enormous challenges in dealing with the threat posed. However, unlike their northern counterparts the South African government often lacks the resources to confront the challenges posed by clandestine migration. In this article I attempt to examine the threat posed by illegal immigration into South Africa and suggest some policy options available to the Pretoria government.

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governance approach Africa Sub-Saharan Africa illegal immigrant South Africa immigration Southern Africa