- Seven Kenyan nationals were arrested in Johannesburg after being found working while holding tourist visas, in violation of South African immigration law.
- Home Affairs says earlier visa applications for the same work were lawfully declined, yet the individuals allegedly proceeded to work anyway.
- The government has initiated diplomatic engagements with the United States and Kenya amid concerns about coordination with undocumented workers.
The Department of Home Affairs has arrested seven Kenyan nationals who were allegedly working illegally at a Johannesburg-based centre processing applications of so-called refugees to the United States.
The arrests followed a routine, lawful operation conducted on Tuesday, 16 December 2025, after intelligence reports indicated that the individuals had entered South Africa on tourist visas and unlawfully taken up employment.
According to the department, the operation was carried out in collaboration with other arms of law enforcement and targeted “suspected violations of South African immigration law”. Home Affairs said the individuals were found “engaging in work despite only having tourist visas, in clear violation of their conditions of entry into the country”.
The department confirmed that all seven Kenyan nationals were arrested, issued with deportation orders, and will be prohibited from entering South Africa again for a period of five years. It said the arrests followed the department’s earlier decision to lawfully decline visa applications submitted on behalf of Kenyan nationals who sought authorisation to perform the same work.
Operation and enforcement posture
Home Affairs stressed that the operation followed established procedures that have seen deportations “dramatically intensify over the past 18 months”, as the government works to reverse what it described as “the long-standing abuse of our immigration and visa system”. The department emphasised that the enforcement action was consistent with its broader mandate to uphold immigration laws “without fear or favour”.
In seeking to address public speculation, Home Affairs clarified that “no US officials were arrested in the process”, that “the operation was not conducted at a diplomatic site”, and that “no members of the public or prospective ‘refugees’ were harassed”. It said the operation was narrowly focused on individuals allegedly in breach of immigration conditions.
The department added that the arrests demonstrate that “no person or entity is above these laws”, and reaffirmed its position that immigration enforcement will be applied equally, regardless of nationality or institutional association.
Diplomatic implications raised
While underscoring cooperation with international partners, Home Affairs acknowledged that the circumstances surrounding the operation have raised concerns beyond domestic immigration compliance. The department noted that “the presence of foreign officials apparently coordinating with undocumented workers naturally raises serious questions about intent and diplomatic protocol”.
As a result, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation has initiated “formal diplomatic engagements with both the United States and Kenya to resolve this matter”. Home Affairs said the engagements are aimed at addressing the broader implications of the incident, while maintaining South Africa’s commitment to lawful migration systems.
The department concluded that the operation “showcases the commitment that South Africa shares with the United States to combating illegal immigration and visa abuse in all its forms”, while reiterating that South Africa’s immigration laws remain binding on all who enter and operate within its borders.
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