Cyril Ramaphosa Condemns Violence Against Foreign Nationals, Says Access to Schools and Clinics Must Not Be Denied.

President Cyril Ramaphosa used his State of the Nation Address (SONA) to deliver a dual message on immigration: a hardline crackdown on illegal immigration — and a firm warning that foreign nationals must not be unlawfully denied access to schools, clinics and other public facilities.

“Illegal immigration poses a risk to our security, stability and economic progress,” Ramaphosa said, outlining additional steps to secure South Africa’s borders.

But he was equally emphatic that immigration enforcement must not descend into vigilantism.

“No foreign national should be unlawfully barred from accessing public facilities, including schools and health facilities,” he said.

The president announced that funding would be prioritised to strengthen border security, covering infrastructure, technology and personnel. Key border posts will be redeveloped through public-private partnerships, and the Electronic Travel Authorisation system will be extended to all international airports and the busiest land ports of entry.

Drones and surveillance technology are already being deployed more extensively along the country’s border line, he said.

Inside the country, police, Home Affairs officials and labour inspectors will work together to crack down on violations of immigration, labour and other laws. Employers who hire foreign nationals without valid visas “will face the full might of the law,” Ramaphosa warned.

To tighten enforcement, government plans to hire an additional 10,000 labour inspectors this year.

“We insist that the laws of our country must be observed by everyone,” he said.

Yet he also drew a firm constitutional boundary.

“We will not tolerate violence and other acts of lawlessness directed at foreign nationals,” Ramaphosa said.

His remarks come amid growing tensions in parts of the country, where foreign nationals have reportedly been turned away from clinics and schools by community groups claiming public services are overwhelmed.

Health system under pressure

South Africa’s public health system has long struggled with resource constraints, staff shortages, infrastructure backlogs and rising patient numbers.

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President Cyril Ramaphosa has condemned violence against foreign nationals, saying they should not be denied access to schools, clinics or other public services.#SONA2026 pic.twitter.com/NFiItGhlu8

— MDN NEWS (@MDNnewss) February 12, 2026

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