South Africa Seeks Reimbursement for R292m Spent Repatriating Foreign Nationals
South Africa is seeking reimbursement from Malawi, Nigeria, and Ethiopia after spending R292 million on the repatriation of 82,875 foreign nationals.
By: Frimpong | The Breaking Desk
Published: August 13, 2026
Key Details
- Amount spent: R292 million (approximately $18.5 million)
- Foreign nationals processed: 82,875 as of August 6, 2026
- Countries asked for reimbursement: Malawi, Nigeria and Ethiopia
- Request channel: Through South Africa’s DIRCO
- Largest reported expense: Transportation
- Initial deportation allocation: R60 million
- Official who disclosed the figures: Home Affairs Director-General Tommy Makhode
Explained
South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs is seeking reimbursement from Malawi, Nigeria and Ethiopia after spending R292 million (about $18.5 million) on the repatriation of foreign nationals.
The department’s Director-General, Tommy Makhode, disclosed the expenditure when he appeared before Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs on Tuesday, August 11, 2026.
Makhode said the department had written to the government of Malawi and the embassies of Nigeria and Ethiopia, through the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), to request reimbursement of the costs incurred.
The three countries are yet to respond to the request at the time of the parliamentary briefing.
82,875 foreign nationals processed
According to Home Affairs, 82,875 foreign nationals had been processed through its repatriation centres as of August 6, 2026.
The figure does not include people who were repatriated before June 30 or those processed directly by the Border Management Authority (BMA), meaning the total number of people involved in the wider operation is higher than the reported 82,875.
Malawian nationals reportedly accounted for the largest group among those deported or returned, followed by nationals from Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
R292m Repatriation Bill Was Not Fully Budgeted.
Makhode told lawmakers that the R292 million expenditure was associated with an operation that had not been adequately funded in the department's existing budget.
Transport accounted for the largest portion of the expenditure, as authorities had to move foreign nationals to repatriation centres and border points. The department had initially allocated R60 million for deportations, meaning the reported spending was several times higher than that allocation.
The financial pressure has therefore prompted Home Affairs to seek assistance from the countries whose nationals were among those repatriated.
“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,” Makhode told the committee.
Deportations continue through Lindela.
The repatriation operation is taking place alongside South Africa’s broader immigration enforcement efforts.
Home Affairs recorded 44,607 deportations from the Lindela Repatriation Centre during the previous financial year, while another 16,078 people were deported between April 20 and July 28, 2026.
The department has also been working to increase its capacity to process immigration-related cases as authorities intensify enforcement of immigration laws.
South Africa awaits response from three countries.
For now, South Africa is waiting for responses from Malawi, Nigeria and Ethiopia regarding its reimbursement request.
The R292 million bill highlights the financial consequences of large-scale immigration enforcement, particularly where transportation and other operational expenses were not fully covered by the department’s original allocation.
Whether the three governments agree to reimburse South Africa, and how much they may ultimately pay, remains unclear.
The Breaking Desk will continue to monitor the reimbursement request and any responses from the governments of Malawi, Nigeria and Ethiopia.
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