Episode
South Africa's migrant deadline
- Podcast
- The Documentary Podcast
- Published
- Jun 20, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 1423
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0nt0kr3
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Summary
For many undocumented migrants in South Africa, the past few weeks have brought uncertainty and fear about what lies ahead. South Africa is the continent’s most developed economy, attracting citizens from poorer countries seeking work. But it also has a high rate of unemployment – almost one in three are without jobs. Although (officially) foreigners make up some 6% of the population, many more migrants are believed to be in the country without papers. Protestors have told them they have until the end of June to leave, and some nations have already been repatriating their citizens. In our conversations, we bring together migrants to share their experiences of rising tensions. We also hear from people who have decided to return and South Africans who want an end to illegal migration. “For us to fix this country of ours, we have to secure our borders,” Olivier tells host James Reynolds. “People here illegally either they are criminals, or they are suffering in the process or they’re just getting a whole bunch of stuff for free and not contributing.”