South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has intensified efforts to tighten weaknesses in the country’s immigration system, with internal misconduct by officials emerging as a major concern.
Fresh details released in response to a written parliamentary question show that dozens of department employees have faced disciplinary and criminal action over allegations of assisting foreign nationals to enter or remain in the country unlawfully.
While the DHA has made notable progress in digitising visa and permit systems in recent years, several manual processes remain in place, leaving room for potential abuse and corruption.
Internal crackdown gathers pace
According to the department, 47 officials were referred for disciplinary proceedings between April 2025 and the time the parliamentary response was issued earlier this month.
In addition, 22 criminal cases were formally opened during the same period.
The department also confirmed that 55 officials have been dismissed since July 2024 as part of ongoing anti-corruption measures.
This marks one of the strongest recent internal crackdowns by Home Affairs as South Africa continues to face mounting pressure over border control, visa fraud and illegal immigration concerns.
The DHA said its Counter Corruption and Security Services branch remains responsible for investigating fraud, corruption and other internal misconduct.
The unit forms a central part of the department’s fraud prevention and governance strategy.
Officials found to have helped individuals enter South Africa unlawfully or remain in the country illegally are subject to disciplinary procedures under departmental regulations, with criminal investigations launched where necessary.
The latest figures come amid broader government efforts to strengthen immigration enforcement and restore public confidence in border management systems.
Focus shifts to asylum and border monitoring
Parliamentary concerns also extended to the treatment of foreign nationals at specific Home Affairs offices, particularly in Richards Bay in KwaZulu-Natal.
However, the DHA said no formal allegations had been submitted and no investigations into officials at that location had been requested or initiated.
The department also disclosed updated figures relating to asylum seekers and refugees residing in KwaZulu-Natal.
During the 2025 calendar year, 2868 holders of section 24 refugee permits and 19809 holders of section 22 asylum seeker permits listed the province as their place of residence.
These numbers underline the continuing migration pressure on South Africa’s provincial administrative systems, particularly in major port and trade regions.
To strengthen oversight, Home Affairs said it conducted 1748 inspections in the informal trading sector during the 2024/25 financial year.
This enforcement activity increased significantly between 1 April 2025 and 28 February 2026, with 3471 inspections carried out.
The department added that asylum seekers are often highly mobile and are not legally required to remain within a specific district.
As a result, they are free to move across different parts of the country without having to register their presence in each district.
This has long posed administrative challenges for immigration monitoring and local service planning.
Source: Department of Home Affairs parliamentary response
