By Akani Nkuna
South Africa’s detected attempted illegal border crossings fell 46% over the 2025/26 festive-season operational period (10 December 2025 to 15 January 2026), with the Border Management Authority (BMA) saying it intercepted 26,852 people trying to enter the country illegally, down from 58,394 the previous festive season.
At a media briefing on Friday, Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber and BMA Commissioner Dr Michael Masiapato said the decline was as a result of tougher, more visible enforcement at ports of entry and the growing use of digital tools to detect and deter irregular movement.
“We have started to see encouraging signs that deterrence is starting to work. During this past festive season, there has been a marked decrease in the number of attempted illegal border crossings. This is an encouraging sign because it means that increasingly, people who in the past would have thought of crossing into our country illegally, are being dissuaded from even trying to do so,” said Schreiber.
Masiapato said the BMA oversaw the legitimate movement of 4,902,269 travellers across the country’s 71 ports of entry during the operational window.
He said the 26,852 people intercepted while attempting to enter South Africa illegally included 22,153 undocumented individuals, 2,346who were inadmissible due to issues such as passports, visas or missing yellow fever certificates, and 2,353 classified as “undesirable” cases, including overstays.
“The second feature that stands out from this past festive season has been a marked increase in lawful travel and tourism. The BMA plays a critical role and often overlooked role in the economic growth by facilitating such travel as well as cargo transport,” he said.
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Masiapato said the BMA processed 340,876 private vehicles, 9,072minibus taxis and 10,349 buses at land ports, while 7,787 aircraft and 243 vessels were processed. He said OR Tambo International Airport was the busiest port of entry with 991,535 travellers, followed by Lebombo(755,529) and Beitbridge(618,562).
“More than 531 joint law enforcement operations which were mainly roadblocks and vehicle checking points [took place]. They (authorities) further conducted 10 455 vehicle and foot patrols and raided about 8 288 hotspot areas within the border law enforcement areas,” Masiapato added.
He said the partnership and deployment of DCD Protected Mobility vehicles had a significant operational impact on patrol operations by enhancing our mobility, visibility and response capability in high-risk areas, including rugged terrain and flooded rivers.
Schreiber said the festive-season operation relied on a multi-agency approach involving, among others, SAPS, SANDF, SARS, health officials and other agencies to clamp down on border-related criminality during peak travel.
He said authorities also engaged bus operators and companies, warning that they could face legal consequences if caught transporting undocumented commuters, and said there had been a decrease in buses transporting undocumented people.
“Continued investment in personnel, infrastructure and technology will be essential if the BMA is to fully realise its mandate. Critically, the chronic underfunding of the BMA must be addressed as this organisation has conclusively demonstrated the necessary commitment to address long-standing challenges in this area,” he said.
Masiapato said 1,361,270 travellers were screened by port health officials, with particular attention on yellow fever and other infectious diseases.
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“Our port health team has intensified their enforcement actions, successfully confiscating and incinerating harmful products such as pesticides, unauthorised mosquito repellents and other prohibited products such as hair chemicals, including skin lightening creams,” said Masiapato.
He raised concern about an increase in unaccompanied minors intercepted at the border, particularly at Beitbridge and Lebombo, saying the cases had prompted renewed engagement between South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
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