Migrant crisis: Why SA won’t declare a State of Emergency
JOHANNESBURG — Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia has formally rejected calls to request a state of emergency regarding illegal migration, despite the recent discovery of military-grade explosives in a residential area. The decision follows the high-profile arrest of a 33-year-old foreign national in Malvern East, Ekurhuleni, who was found in possession of an RPG-7 launcher, boosters, and rounds earlier this year.
Responding to parliamentary questions from MK Party MP Thalente Kubheka, Cachalia argued that a state of emergency is an extraordinary, temporary measure unsuitable for long-term structural challenges. Kubheka had pressed the Minister on whether the government viewed illegal migration as a national security risk necessitating emergency powers after the SAPS Anti-Gang Unit uncovered the military weaponry.
Cachalia stated that illegal immigration and its links to organised crime require sustained, multi-sectoral interventions rather than short-term emergency responses. He emphasized that the government is instead relying on intelligence-led policing and interdepartmental coordination to address the threat. The suspect involved in the January raid was identified in various reports as being of either Somalian or Mozambican nationality.
The Acting Minister explained that the government’s strategy involves rigorous profiling and threat assessments conducted by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation and other SAPS units. These processes allow law enforcement to track organised crime networks and the movement of prohibited firearms across borders. By using forensic techniques, investigators are working to link seized weapons to multiple crimes to better understand the modus operandi of transnational syndicates.
President Cyril Ramaphosa supported this measured approach during his recent budget vote speech, where he spoke out against both illegal migration and the rise of xenophobia. The President committed to strengthening border security and increasing workplace inspections to prosecute employers who violate labour laws. He maintained that while illegal migration must be tackled decisively, it must be done within the framework of the Constitution and human dignity.
The ongoing cooperation between the South African Police Service and the Department of Home Affairs aims to align criminal investigations with immigration enforcement. This strategy is designed to close loopholes in fragmented laws and stamp out corruption within the immigration system without resorting to the suspension of ordinary legal processes.
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