In a post on X, Ramaphosa said no individual or group is permitted to stop people in public spaces or demand proof of nationality, amid rising concerns over so-called “street checks” targeting foreign nationals in parts of the country.
“I must make it clear that only the authorised government officials may act against violations of the law, including violation of our immigration laws. No other person is allowed, for example, to confront someone in the street to demand proof of nationality.” the President warned.
The latest intervention comes against a deeper backdrop of recurring xenophobic violence in South Africa, where foreign nationals, particularly African migrants have periodically been targeted during waves of unrest linked to unemployment, inequality, and competition for informal economic opportunities.
The most recent concern is the rise of “street-level” identity checks, where groups of residents allegedly confront suspected undocumented migrants, demanding identification and, in some cases, forcibly detaining or assaulting individuals.
Recently, several African countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, and Mozambique, have at different points issued travel advisories or coordinated evacuations of their citizens following attacks on foreign-owned shops and migrant communities in parts of the Country.
Rights organisations warn that such practices risk normalising xenophobic enforcement outside the formal justice system.
State authority, not street enforcement, must prevail — Ramaphosa
During a recent speech on immigration crisis that has recently plagued the nation, President Cyril Ramaphosa said South Africa will tighten immigration enforcement by cracking down on violations of immigration and labour laws, preventing illegal entry, and rooting out corruption within the immigration system.
He added that the government plans to strengthen immigration policies and work with other African countries to develop a broader regional response to migration challenges.
“We will act against forces that are exploiting the concerns of our people about illegal immigration to further their political, personal or criminal agendas,” Ramaphosa said.
Authorities have reiterated that immigration enforcement remains strictly the responsibility of designated state agencies operating within constitutional and legal frameworks, cautioning that civilian enforcement risks undermining rule of law and inflaming community tensions.
The presidency’s intervention is widely seen as an attempt to reassert control over a politically sensitive issue that has repeatedly strained South Africa’s relations with fellow African states and raised concerns about the safety of migrant communities.
Analysts say the challenge for Pretoria is not only legal enforcement but restoring trust in communities where economic stress, unemployment, and perceptions of migrant competition continue to fuel resentment.
The development further highlights South Africa’s long-running struggle to balance migration management with social cohesion, as authorities attempt to prevent localized incidents from escalating into wider regional diplomatic tensions.
