The Department of Home Affairs has announced the recruitment of 301 additional Immigration Officers, as government moves to strengthen border management and the rule of law.
It is revealed that the appointments will increase the department’s frontline immigration enforcement workforce from 868 to 1 169 officers, a 35% increase.
The department said the recruitment comes despite ongoing resource constraints, with funding made possible through internal reprioritisation while discussions with National Treasury continue to secure additional resources for digital transformation and future capacity-building initiatives.
Minister of Home Affairs Leon Schreiber said the recruitment forms part of the department’s broader reform agenda to build a modern, secure and technology-driven immigration system.
“The Home Affairs @home reforms are about building an immigration system that works from beginning to end. That means using technology like the Electronic Travel Authorisation to strengthen the enforcement of lawful entry into South Africa, while also investing in the frontline officers who enforce our laws every day,” Schreiber said.
He said the department has long struggled to enforce immigration laws with limited personnel.
“For too long, just 868 frontline Immigration Officers have been responsible for enforcing our immigration laws across the entire country. By appointing 301 additional Immigration Officers, we are now making one of the biggest investments in immigration enforcement capacity in years, strengthening our ability to uphold the rule of law and protect the integrity of South Africa’s immigration system.”
The department said the additional officers will work alongside new technological interventions, including the rollout of biometric verification through the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system, which is intended to strengthen immigration controls and improve the management of lawful entry into South Africa.
Schreiber said the increased enforcement capacity forms part of government’s wider efforts to modernise immigration management through a combination of technology and improved operational capability.
He also revealed recently that Home Affairs has processed more than 37 000 repatriations since Cabinet introduced its comprehensive approach to managing migration.
According to the minister, operations continue at the temporary repatriation centre established in Musina, which was built in just four days under the work of the Inter-Ministerial Committee.
“The work continues in a lawful, orderly and dignified manner,” Schreiber said.
The recruitment drive is expected to strengthen the department’s ability to enforce immigration laws while supporting government’s broader objective of creating a secure, digital and fit-for-purpose immigration system.