Cape Town – The Department of Home Affairs has written to the governments of Malawi, Nigeria and Ethiopia seeking reimbursement for the costs incurred in repatriating their citizens from South Africa.
Home Affairs Director-General Tommy Makhode made the disclosure during a briefing to Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs on Tuesday, 11 August 2026.
According to The Citizen, the department said it had spent R292 million on the repatriation process, which was not included in its original budget. A significant portion of the money was spent on buses used to transport foreign nationals to repatriation centres.
“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, and we are anticipating responses from those governments,” Makhode said.
WATCH | The South African government is seeking payment from Malawi, Nigeria and Ethiopia for the costs incurred in repatriating their nationals. Home Affairs says it has spent almost R300 million on the repatriation operation, which has seen about 75,000 people sent back to… pic.twitter.com/IgZ0uBRCjd
— SABC News (@SABCNews) August 11, 2026
According to the department, 82,875 foreign nationals had been processed at repatriation centres by 6 August 2026. The figure excludes people repatriated before 30 June and those processed directly by the Border Management Authority.
Home Affairs also confirmed that 44,607 foreign nationals were deported from the Lindela Repatriation Centre during the previous financial year, while another 16,078 were deported between 20 April and 28 July 2026.
Malawians accounted for the largest number of deportations, followed by Zimbabweans, Mozambicans and Basotho.
Makhode said the department had also exceeded its budget for deportations from Lindela, with the costs largely driven by transportation, particularly to neighbouring countries.
“The majority of the deportations are to our neighbouring countries where the costs are more,” he said.
According to IOL, he said Home Affairs had not budgeted for the operation and that repatriation was not provided for in its legislative framework.
Of the R292 million spent, the biggest expense was transport, while the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure had spent R48 million establishing and operating the temporary repatriation centre.
The department’s briefing comes amid intensified government efforts to deal with undocumented migration and increase the pace of immigration-related enforcement and deportations.
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