South Africa seeks repayment from African nations for mass migrant returns

Johannesburg,UPDATED: Aug 12, 2026 16:06 IST

South Africa has asked several African governments to reimburse it for the cost of sending back tens of thousands of their citizens after a recent wave of deportations and voluntary returns. The move follows protests and violence linked to illegal immigration, as the country says it has spent nearly $18 million on accommodation, transport and other arrangements for migrants who wanted to go home.

Officials told lawmakers on Tuesday that more than 80,000 immigrants have either been deported or helped to return to their home countries. The issue has unfolded amid heightened tensions over immigration in South Africa, with anti-illegal migration groups staging protests and some attacks on foreign nationals straining ties with other African governments.

According to South Africa's Home Affairs department, the foreign ministry has sent written requests for compensation to Malawi, Ethiopia and Nigeria. The money was spent on buses, temporary repatriation centres, staff overtime and other related costs. Tommy Makhode, director-general of the Home Affairs department, described the expenses as "unforeseen and unavoidable".

Some municipalities and government departments involved in the repatriation process are also seeking compensation from the Home Affairs department because the spending had not been budgeted for. Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber has described the recent scale of repatriations and deportations as unprecedented.

The departures have taken place during growing tension over immigration in South Africa. Anti-illegal migration groups have blamed migrants for high unemployment, crime and pressure on public services. Some countries in the region have accused the South African government of failing to protect foreign nationals, an allegation the government has denied. Most recently, Ghana sought to have the situation in South Africa included on the agenda of an upcoming African Union meeting, but the suggestion was rejected by the continental body.

Government figures show that 82,875 people have either been voluntarily repatriated or deported since the tensions over migration began. However, figures released by the governments of migrants' home countries put the total at about 178,000. As part of a broader crackdown, 16,078 people, mostly from Lesotho, Malawi, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, were deported through South Africa's Lindela Repatriation Centre between April and July. Law enforcement officials said last week that they would intensify operations targeting illegal migration and related offences, adding that nearly 60,000 people in the country illegally had been arrested, including 16,208 in July alone.

In sum, South Africa says the large-scale repatriations and deportations have placed an unexpected financial burden on the state, prompting it to seek reimbursement from some countries, even as immigration tensions and enforcement action continue to rise.

With PTI Inputs

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