South African authorities are seeking financial reimbursement from several African governments to cover the significant expenses incurred while repatriating tens of thousands of their citizens. The move follows a period of heightened immigration tensions, during which South Africa deported or assisted in the voluntary return of more than 80,000 immigrants.
The Department of Home Affairs, which briefed lawmakers on Tuesday, revealed that the government has spent nearly $18 million on costs related to accommodating and transporting individuals who requested to return to their home countries. According to Tommy Makhode, director-general of the Home Affairs department, these expenditures included bus transport, the operation of temporary repatriation centers, and staff overtime, all of which he described as “unforeseen and unavoidable.”
Written requests for compensation have been issued by the foreign ministry to Malawi, Ethiopia, and Nigeria. The financial burden has become a domestic issue as well, with various government departments and municipalities demanding that the Home Affairs department provide compensation for funds they spent that were not originally included in their budgets. Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber has characterized the current scale of these repatriations and deportations as unprecedented.
This government crackdown occurs against a backdrop of intense public debate over immigration. Anti-illegal migration groups have staged protests, citing concerns over high unemployment, crime, and the strain placed on public services. These tensions have occasionally resulted in attacks on foreign nationals, creating diplomatic friction with other African states. While some regional neighbors have accused South Africa of failing to protect their citizens, the government has rejected these claims. Tensions recently reached the African Union, where a proposal by Ghana to place the situation on the agenda was ultimately rejected.
The current repatriation efforts are part of a wider enforcement strategy. Between April and July, 16,078 nationals—primarily from Lesotho, Malawi, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique—were processed through the Lindela Repatriation Centre. Officials reported that nearly 60,000 individuals have been arrested for illegal presence in the country, including 16,208 arrests recorded in July alone.
