• IJS Communications
• 05 Nov 2026

Eight Departments Work as One at Musina

When buses carrying undocumented migrants arrived at the Musina Temporary Repatriation Centre in Limpopo, close to the Beitbridge border post, officials from all eight Integrated Justice System (IJS) member departments were ready to receive them under a single marquee. Instead of working from separate paper files, each official drew on the same verified identity record.

One Process, One Record

People moved through registration, verification and processing without repeating their story to separate offices. Home Affairs mobile units handled civic documentation on site, SAPS members managed identity verification and security, and Social Development officials identified and supported vulnerable individuals, including unaccompanied minors.

This way of working did not happen by accident. It is the product of months of coordination meetings, shared standard operating procedures and joint training between departments that historically worked from entirely separate systems.

A Fuller Picture of Every Person

Speaking in August, Mr Albert Matsaung, Acting Chief Director and Limpopo Provincial Manager for the Department of Home Affairs, said about 70,000 people had been processed through the centre. He explained that IJS-supported verification helped officials identify people linked to cases including assault, robbery and drug trafficking, as well as people who had repeatedly violated immigration laws.

Partners Beyond Government

Gift of the Givers, other civil society organisations and local communities supported the operation with daily meals, water and hygiene services. Teams sometimes worked until 2 or 3 a.m. to reduce the numbers waiting. Mr Matsaung noted that the centre emptied because people had been processed and cleared to exit.

For IJS, Musina showed what integrated government looks like on the ground. In Mr Matsaung's words, “There is no problem that is bigger than the collective.”