Back to Latest Briefings
June 7, 2026
AI-Enhanced
South Africa’s president unveils crackdown on illegal migration
Money
Policy
Opportunity
Growth
Key Points
- South Africa's President Ramaphosa announced a raft of new measures to crack down on illegal migration amidst rising anti-foreigner sentiment and high unemployment.
- Key steps include jailing employers of undocumented workers, setting up dedicated courts for deportations, and implementing a biometric register for all residents to combat identity theft.
- Ramaphosa cautioned against vigilantism and xenophobia, emphasizing that only authorized government officials are permitted to enforce immigration laws.
- The government's strategy involves strengthening border security, combating corruption within the immigration system, closing legal loopholes, and working with other African countries.
- Further changes include relocating refugee reception centers to border posts, ensuring registration of informal shops, setting employment quotas for foreign nationals, and transitioning to digital IDs.
Why This Matters
This article is highly relevant to Ghana as Ghanaian citizens are among the African nationals who may be living and working in South Africa. The new stringent measures, particularly employment quotas for foreign nationals, increased deportations, and the crackdown on undocumented workers, could directly impact Ghanaians in South Africa, potentially leading to job losses or forced returns. It also highlights a broader regional trend of tightening migration policies that Ghana, as a sending country, needs to be aware of for its citizens' welfare and its diplomatic relations.
Read Full Article
View original sourceRelated Articles
October 29, 2026
Asene farmers demand compensation for farms destroyed by Accra-Kumasi expressway
- Over 200 farmers at Akyem Asene in the Eastern Region are appealing to the government for adequate compensation for farms destroyed for the new Accra-Kumasi expressway.
- Affected properties include cocoa, food crop, and oil palm farms, which were their main sources of livelihood.
- The farmers staged a demonstration, detailing economic hardships, including difficulty meeting daily needs and paying school fees, since their farms were destroyed over eight months ago.
- Leaders highlighted significant financial losses, with one farmer, Da Costa Asamoah, losing an estimated GH¢40,000 annual income from his 8-acre cocoa farm.
- The Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) confirmed that some farms have not yet been measured, explaining the delay by an increase in the expressway's width from 120 metres to 150 metres, affecting additional farmers.
October 29, 2026
NAIMOS begins community engagements in galamsey-prone areas
- The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has launched community engagements in galamsey-prone areas.
- The initiative aims to strengthen collaboration, build public confidence, address local concerns, and improve intelligence sharing.
- Engagements will involve traditional authorities, local government officials, and opinion leaders to tackle environmental and livelihood challenges.
- This strategy complements existing enforcement operations rather than replacing them, as part of a broader coordinated effort.
- The program aligns with the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources' strategy and President John Dramani Mahama's vision to intensify the fight against illegal mining.
October 29, 2026
‘We tend to be open-minded and liberal, but that’s not how we’ve lived so far’ – Kufuor
- Former President Kufuor advocates for a Ghana where individual enterprise thrives, supported by strong leadership and inclusive governance.
- He emphasizes leveraging Ghana's natural resources and human talent, cautioning against stifling initiative with excessive taxation.
- Kufuor envisions a state framework that empowers the private sector to mature, attract investment, and allow citizens to build legitimate wealth.
- His vision balances private enterprise with robust social protection, calling for quality education, healthcare, and a safety net against poverty.
- He highlights Ghana's potential through its mineral resources (gold, lithium, bauxite, manganese) and the character of its people to achieve shared prosperity.