Last Friday, a combined effort by South African security services led to the arrest of 208 undocumented immigrants, including 176 Zimbabwean nationals.
The group also comprised individuals from Mozambique and India. According to a statement from Limpopo Province Police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, the Zimbabwean and Mozambican detainees have been deported. Meanwhile, the Indian nationals are currently being detained while awaiting deportation to their home country.
Colonel Ledwaba said that a coordinated operation by the South African Police Service in Limpopo province had led to the arrest of 208 undocumented immigrants and the recovery of suspected stolen goods in the Marble Hall and Groblersdal areas within the Sekhukhune District. The operation, which began on the evening of Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Leeuwfontein and surrounding farms, continued until around 11 a.m. on Friday, July 19, 2024. The primary goal was to tackle illegal activities in the region. He added that the Zimbabwean and Mozambican nationals, including adults and minors, were immediately deported to their respective countries following their arrests.
South Africa accommodates a substantial number of foreign nationals, encompassing both legal immigrants and undocumented migrants seeking improved economic opportunities. Some of these undocumented immigrants find employment in sectors like agriculture, filling positions that are often deemed less attractive by the local workforce. These roles frequently involve manual labor or other types of low-skilled work.