Department of Home Affairs yesterday said it had spent almost R300 million, approximately $18.5 million, on the repatriation operation, which had 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.
The South African government formally requested reimbursement from Malawi, Nigeria, and Ethiopia, whose citizens were deported during protests against illegal migration. The move, which analysts say has sparked diplomatic tension, follows a briefing to South Africa’s Parliament where the Department of Home Affairs said it exceeded its approved budget fivefold to keep operations running.
Home Affairs figures show around 83,000 migrants were processed through the Lindela Repatriation Centre in Johannesburg.
“We have not budgeted for this… So, to date, this is what we’ve spent: R292 million,” said Director-General of Home Affairs Livhuwani Tommy Makhode.
None of the countries’ governments has responded to the request.
