Addressing the Ministerial Session of the Sixth Session of the South Africa-Botswana Bi-National Commission in Gaborone, on Wednesday, International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola told delegates that “irregular migration” and an influx of undocumented migrants, rather than migration, were the significant challenges facing the country, calling for a constructive regional dialogue on the issue.

Lamola stressed that when properly managed, migration is a vital driver of regional development. However, South Africa currently faced an overwhelming wave of irregular migration that had become a flashpoint for severe xenophobic tensions, with vigilante groups in urban centres engaging in protests, property destruction, and targeted assaults against African and Asian immigrants.

Lamola said South Africa’s immigration policies remained closely tied to broader continental frameworks, highlighting that it was one of just seven out of 16 Southern African Development Community (SADC) member States to have ratified the 2005 SADC Protocol on the Facilitation of Movement of Persons.

Furthermore, he said while the country supported and aligned itself with the African Union Free Movement of Persons Protocol, the strain on South Africa's economy and society had forced the government to re-evaluate how borders and labour were regulated.

To address this, Lamola called for a comprehensive examination of underlying socioeconomic, governance, and security facets.

He emphasised that the region must fairly distribute responsibilities among countries of origin, transit, and destination and that SADC and African Union forums must be used to discuss the root causes of irregular migration.

He said the South African government had firmly condemned vigilante actions, emphasising that no individual was allowed to take the law into their own hands.

He assured that the State was taking active steps to strengthen its immigration policy through stricter regulatory frameworks and enforcement of compliance across the labour and business sectors.

TRADE, ENERGY AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Meanwhile, Lamola said energy security was the vital backbone required to sustain growing industrial and cross-border partnerships between South Africa and Botswana.

A reliable supply of petroleum and electricity was essential for powering expanding economies, which Lamola said must include joint renewable energy solutions to reach shared long-term development goals.

“We commend Botswana for the rollout and implementation of its National Development Plan 12. This critical blueprint places strong emphasis on economic diversification, export-led growth, and job creation,” he stated.

He noted that while South Africa remained a major exporter of agricultural goods to Botswana, the country’s agricultural interests were complementary and not mutually exclusive.

By prioritising food security and modernisation, Botswana's domestic agricultural development would enrich regional value chains, he said.

“To further build this momentum, we want to see an increased presence of companies from Botswana operating in South Africa, mirroring the significant investments South African private entities already hold in Botswana,” he stated.

He highlighted that opportunities also existed in infrastructure development.