Staff Reporter
More than 76,500 illegal foreigners were arrested across the country between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, the South African Police Service (SAPS) said on Tuesday.
SAPS said in a statement that 29,371 illegal foreigners had been arrested between 1 January and 17 May 2026, during intelligence-driven operations, tracing operations, roadblocks, stop-and-search operations and other multi-disciplinary law enforcement initiatives.
In the past week alone, police arrested 1,891 illegal foreigners for contravening the Immigration Act, SAPS said.
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“The South African Police Service continues to intensify its nationwide crime prevention and law enforcement operations aimed at addressing illegal immigration and related criminality through Operation Shanela.”
The latest arrests formed part of “broader efforts to combat crime, maintain law and order and address challenges associated with undocumented persons operating unlawfully within communities”.
The statement comes amid rising
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