Advisory on Migration Governance February 2025

The conundrum of managing the influx of migrants presents complex challenges for human rights protection and sovereignty of countries globally and for South Africa, in particular. Planning for migrants, despite limited knowledge about their numbers and circumstances, particularly undocumented migrants, has been a delicate balancing act for the South African government, which must navigate a thin blurred line between protecting human rights and maintaining state sovereignty. Migration, when effectively managed, holds significant potential to transform societies. This is particularly true in regions like Southern Africa, where the movement of people has significantly shaped economic landscapes and social structures. As part of its commitments to the Global Compact for Migration, South Africa has embraced mechanisms to create and enhance regular migration pathways. These efforts aim to ensure that migration occurs in a dignified and regulated manner, reduce irregular migration, and eliminate opportunities for human traffickers. However, the unprecedented migration level as a global phenomenon has shone a spotlight on the movement of many people fleeing conflict or the effects of climate change and political violence in the Southern African region. We must recognise that South Africa is a host nation adjacent to political and economic instability and famine zones. Despite the opportunities that migration presents, anti-immigrant sentiments have become more prolific, manifesting in movements like Operation Dudula and xenophobic attacks. Migrants are often blamed for economic hardships, crime, and pressure on services such as healthcare, but these claims are largely unsubstantiated. For instance, in 2023 the Department of Correctional Services reported that migrants make up only 9351 of the 212 286 inmates in their facilities across the country despite accounting for approximately 2.4 million of the 62 million South African population.1 Narratives of there being an ‘influx’ of foreigners in South Africa and of the millions of "illegal" migrants have no basis in fact. Even though the International Organization of Migration (IOM) estimates there are about 30-40 million irregular migrants globally, some South Africans surveyed by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) estimated similar numbers in South Africa alone. The rise in undocumented migrants strains public resources, amplifying perceptions that migrants are a financial burden and security risk.