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The Border Management Authority (BMA) has arrested at least 25 undocumented foreign nationals who attempted to enter South Africa illegally, bringing the number of intercepted migrants in the past few days to 571.
The arrests were made on Monday, January 5, 2026, during intensified border operations at the Beitbridge Port of Entry, which connects South Africa to Zimbabwe.
The BMA said additional personnel and operational resources have been deployed at Beitbridge and other ports of entry nationwide as part of ongoing efforts to curb illegal crossings.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner for Communications at the BMA, Mmemme Mogotsi, said the authority is currently processing an average of 25,000 people per day at the border.
She explained that the latest group of undocumented migrants was detected while crossing the Limpopo River with the assistance of facilitators.
According to Mogotsi, the individuals were spotted as they moved by boat through the river into a no-man’s land and were arrested immediately upon stepping onto South African territory. She did not disclose the nationalities of those apprehended.
“So, since this morning on the 5th January in 2026, we have been able to intercept around 25 individuals who were attempting to enter the country illegally.
“We’re able to see them as they were crossing the Limpopo River, being assisted by some facilitators through a boat, and they entered into a no man’s land, and immediately they entered into the South African soil, we were able to bust on them, and we effectively got them arrested,” Mogotsi said.
She added that the operation was carried out by BMA officials working alongside border guards and members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). The arrested migrants are currently being processed for deportation.
Mogotsi also disclosed that 98 undocumented individuals were intercepted the previous day under similar circumstances. She said two suspected facilitators were arrested during that operation and were not deported but instead handed over to the police at Musina, where cases were opened against them for aiding and abetting under the Immigration Act.
She noted that the BMA expects steady movement at the border throughout the week, with a second peak anticipated on Sunday.
To manage the situation, Mogotsi said the authority is implementing specialised functions, including immigration control, port health services and agricultural biosecurity measures.
She added that the BMA has deployed drones on a full-time basis to monitor activities along vulnerable sections of the borderline and across ports of entry in order to detect and prevent illegal crossings.
