South Africa arrest 159 illegal foreign nationals and ova 1000 suspects

South Africa don arrest ova 1,200 suspects including 159 undocumented foreign nationals wey dem say go against di immigration act.

South Africa police say dem pack di undocumented foreign nationals for Gauteng province of South Africa during dia operation shanela.

Di arrest dey come weeks afta di rainbow kontri carry out one of dia biggest crackdowns on undocumented migrants in years, following weeks of anti-immigration protests wey see violence, intimidation and looting.

However, di police no tok di nationality of dose wey dem arrest or wetin go happun to dem.

On Tuesday, di South African govment also confam di arrest of di foreign nationals including dat of oda suspects.

"Dose wey dem arrest include wanted suspects, undocumented foreign nationals and motorists wey dey drive under di influence of alcohol," South African govment tok.

Dem say na part of dia efforts to fight crime for South Africa in di wake of xenophobic attacks against foreign nationals.

Dis arrest operation involve South Africa, di Department of Home Affairs, and oda enforcement agencies.

For di wake of di anti-migrant protests, South Africa President Cyril say to address di kontri immigration challenges, dem go identify and deport undocumented migrants. E add say dem go also set up immigration courts.

Di wave of attacks against foreign nationals in South Africa don lead to several kontris to evacuate dia citizens comot from di kontri.

Kontris like Ghana, Nigeria, Malawi and odas don organise repatriation for citizens to register to return to dia own kontris.

Also, di South African govment for one earlier report tok say more dan 53,000 foreign nationals don dey deported or repatriated since du launching of "migration management" campaign five weeks ago.

Dose wey South Africa police arrest

According to South Africa police, among dose wey dem also arrest na dose wey commit crime against women and children.

"Among dose wey we arrest na 157 motorists for driving under di influence of alcohol, 159 undocumented foreign nationals for going against di di Immigration Act and 751 wanted suspects, including 135 wey dey linked to crimes against women and children."

Na Gauteng Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni, bin lead di provincial Operation Shanela.

According to di police, during di operation dem gbab some oda suspects wey dem find stolen vehicles for dia possession.

Di police say di owner of di stolen vehicle don report since June 2026.

"During di operation, police arrest three suspects wey dey in possession of hijacked motor vehicle wey dey reported for De Deur Police Station for June 2026."

"Di operation lead to di arrest of 28 motorists for driving under di influence of alcohol, 12 undocumented foreign nationals wey go against di Immigration Act, six suspects for possession of drugs, and four suspects wey dey deal in liquor witout licence."

Meanwhile, di police say dia detectives arrest 751 wanted suspects overnight for various offences.

Nigeria, Ghana react to attacks

Alreadi, South Africa Department of Home Affairs don block di identity documents of some citizens, and say make dem go present demsefs to officials.

Dem say dem don begin investigate di validity of some identity documents wey make dem block di IDs.

South Africa say if dose wey dey affected by di blocked IDs no take action, e fit lead to "possible permanent cancellation".

According to di notice by di Home Affairs, dem wan find out through dia investigation if di pipo wey dem block dia IDs na di true owner of di documents.

Dem say dem also wan find out di legal status of di holders of di affected IDs and if truly e belong to di pesin wey im identity dey show for di documents.

South Africa tok say dem no go gree for illegal migrants to stay for dia kontri and dis operation na part of dat measure to push dem out.

Meanwhile, di govments of Nigeria and Ghana don condemn di xenophobic attacks against Africans for South Africa, and call on members of di Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) to dey united to confront am.

Presidents Bola Tinubu and John Mahama of Nigeria and Ghana respectively, tok dis one for dia speeches during di 69th Ordinary Session of di Ecowas Authority of Heads of State and Government, for Freetown, Sierra Leone, on Sunday.