South Africa’s government has started a big operation called “Operation New Broom.” This operation is checking for people who are living in the country without the right papers (like passports, visas, permits, or asylum documents). It started on March 1, 2025 and is happening all over the country.
🛑 What Is Happening?
- The Department of Home Affairs (DHA), together with the police and Labour Department, are visiting places like:
- Shops
- Restaurants
- Farms
- Factories
- Construction sites
- Spaza shops
- Mines
- They are checking if people working or staying there have legal documents to be in South Africa.
- If you do not have valid papers, you can be:
- Arrested
- Detained
- Deported (sent back to your country)
❗ Who Is Affected?
Anyone who:
- Has no passport, permit, visa, or asylum papers
- Has expired papers
- Is working without the right documents
Migrants from countries like Zimbabwe, Somalia, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Malawi and others are especially being checked.
⚠️ What You Should Do
If you don’t have valid papers:
- Try to fix your papers quickly
- Apply for a visa, asylum, refugee permit, or work permit
- Renew your expired documents
- Leave South Africa voluntarily before being caught to avoid arrest
- Stay away from trouble areas like roadblocks and inspections if you have no valid papers
📞 Where You Can Get Help
If you need help with your papers or advice:
- Go to a legal immigration office, NGO, or lawyer
- Contact groups that help migrants like:
- Lawyers for Human Rights
- Scalabrini Centre
- Consulate or embassy of your country
❌ What Employers Must Know
- It is illegal for businesses to hire people without valid papers.
- Employers can be fined and jailed if they hire undocumented workers.
🚨 Be Careful of Xenophobia
When these operations happen, sometimes there’s anger towards foreign nationals. If you feel unsafe:
- Stay in a safe area
- Travel in groups
- Report any threats or violence to the police or trusted community leaders
📝 Final Message
Operation New Broom is a real, ongoing operation. The South African government is serious about checking papers. If you’re a migrant:
- Check your documents now
- Fix your papers if you can
- Ask for help from trusted organisations
Your safety and legal status are important.
📲 Need Help? Contact:
VBS Africa Consulting We can help advise you where to go for legal papers, services, and how to stay safe.
📞 +27 72 204 9419 📧 info@vbsafrica.com