South Africa’s Foreign Ministry has formally requested that Malawi, Ethiopia, and Nigeria reimburse the roughly $18 million cost of repatriating thousands of illegal migrants, a move that has ignited a diplomatic backlash — and a flat denial from at least one of the countries named.
The total bill was presented to Parliament on Tuesday by the Department of Home Affairs, which described the exodus of migrants from South Africa over the past few months as unprecedented.
Costs Called ‘Unforeseen and Unavoidable’
Home Affairs Director-General Tommy Makhode told lawmakers that the expenses — covering transportation, temporary shelter, staffing, and related logistical outlays — were “unforeseen and unavoidable.” Makhode said much of the financial burden was carried by local governments, which are now demanding reimbursement from Home Affairs, but that the department has no budget to pay them.
The request to the migrants’ home countries was met with anger and skepticism. The Nyasa Times of Malawi described the demand as “explosive,” reporting that it touched off a “diplomatic storm,” complete with counter-accusations that South Africa failed to protect migrants on its soil and mismanaged the hasty repatriation process.
Nigeria Says It Never Got the Request
Nigeria’s Foreign Ministry told the BBC that it “never received any request” from South Africa for reimbursement, though it expressed willingness to discuss the matter “at the highest levels.” The denial appeared to signal that whatever diplomatic channels were used, they had not reached the appropriate officials in Abuja.
Malawi did not immediately respond to South Africa’s request, but on Wednesday announced the end of its own government-assisted repatriation program for its citizens returning from South Africa. The Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) said the final group of returnees would be processed at the Mwanza Stadium reception center, which will be decommissioned afterward. The government will continue offering consular services — including emergency travel documents — but will no longer assist with transportation.
DoDMA said it has repatriated more than 56,000 migrants from South Africa since the program began in June, including about 4,000 children, at a total cost of approximately $7 million.
Context: Anti-Migrant Violence
The repatriations were triggered by a surge of anti-migrant violence in South Africa, where some locals accuse migrants of taking jobs and spreading crime. Vigilante groups went so far as to threaten violence to purge the country of undocumented foreigners if the government did not act.
South Africa’s government estimates that roughly 82,000 deportations and voluntary repatriations have taken place this year — but combined figures from neighboring countries suggest the real number may be more than double that.
In late July, Ghana asked a summit of the African Union to condemn anti-migrant violence and xenophobia in South Africa. South Africa blocked the motion and instead called for a continental debate on migration.
The dispute over the $18 million bill is likely to further strain relations between South Africa and the affected countries, which have already bristled at accusations that they are not doing enough to take back their citizens. With Malawi halting its assisted-return program and Nigeria denying that it even received the request, the path to any reimbursement looks steep.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/africa/2026/08/12/south-africa-wants-reimbursement-for-migrant-repatriations/