More than 6,000 individuals were arrested over the Easter weekend for attempting to enter or exit South Africa illegally, marking a 61% increase compared to the previous year.
Nearly 5,000 of those arrested were undocumented, while others were caught using fraudulent visas. The majority of those apprehended came from Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and Mozambique.
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Authorities carried out an extensive Easter operation between April 15 and 24, deploying additional personnel, conducting joint law enforcement activities, and using advanced technology such as drone surveillance and body cameras at 71 ports of entry.
These new measures have strengthened border control efforts by allowing real-time monitoring and faster responses from ground teams.
The Easter period also saw a rise in overall cross-border movement, with one million recorded entries and exits — an 8% increase from the 900,000 movements registered the previous year.
Despite the higher volume of travelers, officials report that enhanced operations across air, land, and sea routes have maintained stability and ensured the safety of travelers.