South Africa slams $18.5m repatriation bill on Nigeria, 2 other African countries amid migration crackdown

The Department of Home Affairs says it has spent almost R300 million, approximately $18.5 million, on the repatriation operation, which has seen tens of thousands of foreign nationals processed for return to their countries.

The department has written to the government of Malawi and to the embassies of Nigeria and Ethiopia, through the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) requesting reimbursement of the costs incurred.

Home Affairs Director-General Tommy Makhode told Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs that the department had spent R292 million on the operation, substantially exceeding its R60 million allocation for deportations.

Transport accounted for the largest share of the expenditure, as authorities moved undocumented migrants to repatriation centres and border points.

As of August 6, Home Affairs had processed 82,875 foreign nationals through its repatriation centres. The figure excludes people repatriated before June 30 and those processed directly by the Border Management Authority.

The repatriation operation followed a surge in anti-immigrant protests across South Africa, with several African governments organising voluntary returns for their citizens amid concerns over their safety.

Malawians have accounted for the largest group of people returning or being deported, followed by nationals from Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

South African authorities have also continued deportations through the Lindela Repatriation Centre. Home Affairs said 44,607 foreign nationals were deported from Lindela during the previous financial year, while 16,078 were deported between April 20 and July 28 this year.

The government has described the increased enforcement as part of efforts to strengthen immigration control and address the growing number of undocumented migrants in the country.

However, the financial burden has emerged as a major concern for Pretoria. Makhode said the repatriation programme had not been budgeted for under the department’s existing framework, prompting the government to seek reimbursement from the countries whose nationals were repatriated.

“We have also written to the government of Malawi and, of course, the embassies of Nigeria and Ethiopia requesting reimbursements of this cost through the department of DIRCO,” Makhode told lawmakers.

South Africa is now awaiting responses from the three governments as it seeks to recover part of the R292 million already spent on the operation.