South African officials overseeing the protest against foreign nationals South Africa has asked Nigeria and two other countries to reimburse $18.5 million spent deporting and repatriating their citizens.
The demand comes amid rising tensions over illegal immigration and foreign nationals in South Africa, where more than 80,000 immigrants were sent back to their home countries. The deportations followed protests and violence linked to concerns about illegal immigration.
Unforeseen Costs Mount
According to the Home Affairs Department, the government spent nearly $18 million accommodating and transporting immigrants who were deported or requested to return home. The costs went beyond transporting people out of the country, with South Africa also having to provide buses, temporary repatriation centres, and additional staff to manage the large number of departures.
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber has described the recent volume of deportations and repatriations as unprecedented, with the scale of departures coming at a time when tensions over immigration have increased across the country.
Financial Burden for Governments
Those costs were not included in their original budgets, meaning the repatriation exercise has created an unexpected financial burden for different levels of government. Director-General of the Home Affairs Department, Tommy Makhode, described the expenses as “unforeseen and unavoidable.”
The financial burden on municipalities and government departments involved in the exercise has also been significant, with some asking to be compensated for their role in the repatriation exercise.
Next Steps Unclear
South Africa's foreign ministry has now written to the governments of Nigeria, Malawi, and Ethiopia seeking reimbursement for the costs incurred during the exercise. None of the three governments had responded to the request as of the time of the report.
The request adds a financial dimension to an already sensitive immigration issue, contributing to strained relations between South Africa and other African countries whose citizens live and work there. The tensions have also contributed to attacks on foreign nationals and have been linked to concerns about unemployment, crime, and pressure on public services.
The next step for Nigeria, Malawi, and Ethiopia will depend on how their governments respond to the reimbursement requests sent by South Africa's foreign ministry.
Source: Pulse.ng
