Deputy Police Minister Cassel Mathale accuses South Africans of harbouring illegal immigrants

• The Deputy Minister of Police, Cassel Mathale, spoke out against communities that allow illegal foreigners to reside in their communities
• He spoke during the Interministerial Crime Prevention community engagement in the North West on 6 January 2026 and discussed illegal foreigners allegedly committing crimes
• South Africans who commented on Mathale's statements criticised the government and blamed it for allowing crime to worsen in the country

Tebogo Mokwena, Briefly News’ Deputy Head of the Current Affairs desk, South Africa, covered a range of criminal activities, including cash-in-transit heists, kidnappings, taxi violence, shootings, police investigations, police shootouts, and court cases at Daily Sun for over three years.

MMABATHO, NORTH WEST — The Deputy Minister of Police, Cassel Mathale, called on communities not to harbor illegal foreigners but to report them. He also said that illegal foreign nationals contribute to the high levels of crime in the country.

Mathale spoke at the Interministerial Crime Prevention Community Engagement in Mmabatho, North West, on 6 January 2026. He delivered the keynote address and cautioned communities not to harbor illegal immigrants.

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Cassel Mathale warns communities

Mathale said that it becomes difficult to trace and apprehend illegal immigrants who commit crimes. He added that it was illegal to harbor undocumented foreign nationals. Mathale also slammed the operation of illegal taverns. He spoke after multiple shootings took place in taverns, including the death of nine people in Bekkersdal, Gauteng, on 21 December 2025.

He said anyone accommodating foreign nationals must be arrested. He said those who rent backrooms to illegal immigrants must be arrested. Mathale also said that South Africans who rent their spaza shops to illegal immigrants must be arrested. Mathale's words echo the sentiments of the South African National Civic Organisation, which called for landlords to kick out illegal immigrants operating spaza shops in 2024.

South Africans roast him

Netizens who commented on the post blasted Mathale.

Thanos Zwane asked:

"So basically, the Deputy Minister is going to arrest all of South Africa. Why can't he start looking inside his circle?"

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Mandla Mayisela asked:

"How are you going to know if they have fake or illegal documents when government officials sell documents to them?"

Ncumisa Mamjoli Matiwane pointed to another crime to highlight communities' challenges with policing.

"The taxi patrollers in the Eastern Cape are extorting drivers. They demanded R300 from one driver and blocked him from giving lifts. Nothing has been done by the police to these guys, who have been doing this for years."

Senzo Mchunu did not assign Cassel Mathale duties

In a related article, Briefly News reported that Mathale said that suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu did not assign him duties after he was sworn in as the Deputy Minister of Police. He made the admission during his appearance before the Ad Hoc Committee, which was established to investigate allegations of corruption within the criminal justice system.

Mathale appeared before the Ad Hoc Committee in Parliament on 28 October and testified. He said Mchunu was still getting to grips with his new portfolio after being sworn in.

Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.

Source: Briefly News