Arising from the supposed negative impact of illegal immigration, including security
threats as well as recent xenophobic violence, the South African Government would like
to counter illegal immigration. To do this, it needs to understand the root causes of
illegal immigration into the country. This article, therefore, seeks to explain and interpret
why illegal immigrants make South Africa their ideal choice of destination. To provide a
context, the article begins with a discussion on the research setting, that is, the South
African international boundaries. Thereafter, the article discusses the concept of illegal
immigration from the South African context before reviewing literature on the number
of illegal immigrants in South Africa and the supposed impact. The article then explores
literature on international movements and discusses established migration frameworks
that explain and interpret these movements. Lastly, to confirm some facts arising from
the review, we interviewed officials that manage illegal immigration as well as detained
immigrants. We establish that four migration streams that have created a blended society
in Southern Africa sparked illegal immigration into South Africa. The article conclude
that the problem of illegal immigration into South Africa is perpetuated by deep-rooted
migration networks. Therefore, if the South African Government wants to avert illegal
immigration, its policy-makers should examine these roots and take them into account to
arrive at a solution that is in sync with the root causes of the problem.