South Africa’s Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Migration says the government has arrested more than 40,000 people described as illegal immigrants since January 2026. The figures are presented as part of an intensification of immigration enforcement efforts across the country. The IMC statement, attributed to Minister Kubayi, indicates that the arrests take place within a coordinated government approach aimed at curbing irregular migration. While the reporting does not provide further breakdowns—such as where the arrests occurred, the nationalities involved, or the legal outcomes for those detained—it frames the arrests as evidence of increased operational activity by authorities since the beginning of the year. The update is delivered through government channels linked to the IMC on Migration, which is responsible for coordinating actions across relevant departments. No additional details on detention conditions, deportations, or specific policy changes are included in the provided sources.