- Deportations increased by 46% over two financial years, reaching 109,344 by March 2026.
- Annual removals rose from 39,672 to 57,784 between the 2023/24 and 2025/26 financial years.
- Home Affairs attributes the rise to operations such as Operation New Broom and the rollout of biometric verification systems.
The Department of Home Affairs has confirmed that 109,344 undocumented individuals were deported from South Africa over the past two financial years, reflecting a 46% increase recorded by 31 March 2026.
According to the department, deportations rose by 30% in the first year of the current administration, climbing from 39,672 in the 2023/24 financial year to 51,560 in 2024/25. A further 12% increase was recorded in 2025/26, bringing the annual total to 57,784.
Enforcement operations and verification systems
Minister Dr Leon Schreiber said the increase is a direct result of reforms aimed at improving efficiency and tightening enforcement. “These numbers show that we are now reaping the fruits of reforms focused on greater efficiency and intensified enforcement against immigration violators,” he said. He added that Operation New Broom and the wider use of biometric verification tools had both contributed to the rise.
Schreiber also issued a stark warning to undocumented individuals. “Our message remains clear: if you are in South Africa illegally, self-deport now before we find you and ban you from ever entering our country legally in future,” he said.
Technology and planned measures
The department said it has introduced drone and body-camera technology to bolster enforcement operations.
Schreiber added that the Electronic Travel Authorisation system will be expanded to capture biometric data from all foreign nationals entering South Africa. “The impending scale-up of the Electronic Travel Authorisation system will record biometrics for every foreigner who enters our country, dramatically enhancing our ability to detect and arrest anyone who is in South Africa illegally,” he said.
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