PRETORIA, South Africa, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The South African government on Friday said it has intensified efforts to manage migration and strengthen border security ahead of planned nationwide demonstrations against illegal immigration scheduled for June 30.

Speaking at a media briefing in Pretoria, the newly appointed Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Migration said a total of 15,162 Malawian nationals had been processed for deportation and repatriation as of Thursday, while more people remained under verification.

The committee, established by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa following his June 7 national address on migration, said it continues to oversee the implementation of a five-point strategy aimed at strengthening immigration enforcement, securing the country's borders, improving migration management systems, reviewing relevant legislation and enhancing cooperation with neighboring countries.

To accelerate the repatriation process, the government has extended the jurisdiction of the Musina Refugee Reception Office in Limpopo Province to conduct verification of undocumented foreign nationals.

Noting it would work with partners including the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organization for Migration, among others, the committee said: "We have activated all logistics relating to the repatriation of foreign nationals in Musina."

It also said that a site outside Musina has been identified for a temporary repatriation processing center to facilitate faster verification and deportation procedures, and the temporary repatriation center currently operating in eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal Province, will be closed once logistical arrangements for transferring the remaining Malawian nationals to Musina are completed.

Ahead of the planned June 30 demonstrations, the government reiterated that the day would be treated as a normal working day and warned against vigilantism and xenophobic violence.

"Violence and intimidation against foreign nationals and citizens are against the law and will be prosecuted in accordance with relevant legal prescripts," said the committee. ■