More than 900 Mozambican nationals were processed for departure from South Africa on Wednesday as anti-migrant protests and violence that has claimed at least two lives forces foreign nationals to flee the country.
The Border Management Authority (BMA) confirmed it processed 933 Mozambican nationals through the Lebombo Port of Entry, marking one of the largest single-day movements of foreign nationals since the unrest began.
Of those processed, 349 originated from the Lindela Holding Facility and were transported by the Department of Home Affairs through its deportation programme. The remaining 584 individuals travelled from Mossel Bay through arrangements facilitated by the Mozambican High Commission.
The exodus from Mossel Bay suggests the violence has spread beyond traditional flashpoints, reaching communities in the Western Cape where foreign nationals had previously sought refuge.
Among those fleeing were individuals without valid travel documentation and others whose immigration status required verification. Seventeen people who had entered South Africa legally were found to have overstayed their authorised period.
The group included 38 minors, who were processed with assistance from the Department of Social Development to ensure compliance with child protection and cross-border movement requirements.
Dr Michael Masiapato, the BMA Commissioner, said all travellers underwent immigration processing, including identity verification, biometric checks and immigration status assessments.
“The management of cross-border movement must be conducted in a manner that is lawful, orderly and consistent with South Africa’s immigration framework,” Masiapato said.
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“The BMA remains committed to facilitating legitimate travel while ensuring compliance with immigration legislation and safeguarding the integrity of our ports of entry.”
Of the 933 people processed, 926 successfully departed for Mozambique. Seven individuals were not permitted to leave following immigration verification, including cases where nationality or immigration status required further verification and minors whose required documentation was unavailable.
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The operation involved BMA Immigration Services, Port Health Services, Law Enforcement and Border Guard functions, working with the Department of Home Affairs, the Department of Social Development, the South African Police Service and Mozambican authorities.
The BMA described the operation as concluding “in an orderly manner without incident”, though the circumstances driving the mass departure paint a different picture of conditions foreign nationals face in South Africa.
The deaths of Mozambican citizens and the scale of the exodus underscore growing concerns about the safety of foreign nationals as anti-migrant sentiment escalates.
Masiapato said the authority would continue working with regional counterparts “to promote safe, orderly and regular migration, while protecting the security interests of South Africa and the region”.
The processing of nearly 1 000 Mozambican nationals in a single day represents a significant increase in cross-border movement, suggesting many foreign nationals are making urgent decisions to leave South Africa amid the deteriorating security situation.
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