• Professor Alan Hirsch says progress has been made against corruption and undocumented migration, but South Africa’s long borders remain extremely difficult to secure.

• Around 80,000 people have left South Africa in recent months as tensions around undocumented migrants and fears over their safety have increased.

South Africa has started putting President Cyril Ramaphosa’s tough migration plan into action, but fixing the country’s immigration problems will not happen quickly.

That is the view of New South Institute senior research fellow Professor Alan Hirsch.

Ramaphosa faced questions in Parliament on Tuesday about the five-point migration strategy he announced in June.

The plan promises to crack down on people who break immigration laws, strengthen South Africa’s borders, fight corruption, close gaps in immigration laws and work with other African countries.

Hirsch said there has been movement in some areas.

“So, there’s some progress, but a lot of it is very difficult to do,” he said.

One area where Hirsch believes progress is being made is the fight against corruption in the Department of Home Affairs.

He said the department regularly reports officials who have been suspended, prosecuted or fired over fraud.

Some cases involve officials accused of giving permits or visas to people who should not have received them.

Hirsch said corruption remains a serious problem inside the department, making the clean-up difficult.

“I think we know that it’s quite a deeply corrupt organisation and it’s a difficult job, but I think they are trying to fix that,” he said.

The government has also increased its focus on people living in the country without legal permission.

Hirsch said the pressure has affected undocumented migrants as well as some people from neighbouring countries who are legally in South Africa but feel unsafe.

He estimated that at least 80,000 people have left South Africa in recent months, including around the period before and after 30 June.

The crackdown comes as protests over undocumented migrants have increased in several communities.

Hirsch said fear has also become part of the migration crisis.

“I think that there is an awareness that this is much more of an issue in South Africa today than it was before and that their lives unfortunately may be in danger,” he said.

He said some people had left the country while others had moved from the places where they were living because they feared for their safety.

Securing South Africa’s borders is another major part of Ramaphosa’s plan.

Hirsch said the Border Management Authority, established a few years ago, is more effective than the system that came before it.

But geography makes completely sealing the country’s borders almost impossible.

South Africa has a long northern border with remote areas that are extremely difficult to monitor.

Hirsch said authorities therefore also need to make sure people understand what is expected of them when entering and living in the country.

One of the biggest gaps in Ramaphosa’s plan appears to be cooperation with other African governments.

“I don’t think there’s any significant work with other African countries yet on dealing with the issue, and there’s a lot that can be done,” Hirsch said.

There has been a movement on changing immigration laws.

Hirsch said the cabinet approved a white paper in March and Home Affairs is working on implementing it.

He believes new legislation is being prepared and could come before lawmakers early next year.

Ramaphosa’s migration plan was announced against the backdrop of protests and growing anger over undocumented migrants living and working in South Africa.

But Hirsch believes police operations, deportations, stronger borders and new laws cannot solve the problem on their own.

For him, the lasting answer also lies beyond South Africa’s borders.

“The long-term solution is more economic development in those countries,” he said.

If neighbouring countries can create stronger economies and more opportunities at home, fewer people may feel forced to leave in search of work and a better life elsewhere.

For now, South Africa’s migration battle remains far from over.

The government has started moving on some parts of Ramaphosa’s five-point plan, but corruption, difficult borders, gaps in the law and limited cooperation with other African countries remain major obstacles.

Pictured above: President Cyril Ramaphosa faced questions in Parliament about progress on his government’s five-point migration strategy.

Image source: Parliament of the republic of South Africa