South Africa has asked Nigeria, Malawi and Ethiopia to reimburse the cost of repatriating tens of thousands of their citizens as authorities intensify a crackdown on undocumented migrants.
The request follows a major enforcement operation that has seen more than 82,000 people either voluntarily return to their countries or be deported from South Africa, according to South African figures.
Home Affairs Director-General Tommy Makhode told lawmakers on Tuesday, August 11, that the department spent almost R293 million, about $18 million, on the operation.
The expenditure covered buses, temporary repatriation centres, staff overtime and other related costs.
Makhode described the spending as “unforeseen and unavoidable”, saying it went well beyond the department’s normal deportation budget.
South African authorities said formal requests for reimbursement had been sent through the Department of International Relations and Cooperation to Malawi and the embassies of Nigeria and Ethiopia.
However, Nigeria said it had not received any such request as of Wednesday, August 12.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Kimiebi Ebienfa and Nigeria’s Consul-General in South Africa, Ninikanwa Okey-Uche, both told the BBC that Pretoria had yet to formally approach the Nigerian government over the payment.
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The demand comes against the backdrop of growing tensions over undocumented migration in South Africa, which hosts millions of foreign nationals and has faced increasing anti-migrant protests and sporadic attacks.
The recent crackdown followed months of public anger over the presence of undocumented migrants, with some protesters accusing foreign nationals of taking jobs and putting pressure on public services.
The situation also prompted several African governments, including Nigeria, to arrange evacuation flights for citizens who said they no longer felt safe in South Africa.
Some Nigerians who returned during the period reportedly left businesses, homes and other property behind.
The Nigerian government had previously indicated that it would seek compensation over losses suffered by its citizens.
South African authorities have continued enforcement operations at borders and through facilities such as the Lindela Repatriation Centre, with thousands of undocumented migrants deported in recent months.
Officials in Pretoria argue that countries of origin should contribute to the cost of returning their citizens, particularly as the scale of the operation has placed additional pressure on South Africa’s resources.
The latest financial demand could further test relations between South Africa and the affected countries, particularly Nigeria, as both countries remain key players in continental diplomacy.
As of press time, the Nigerian government is yet to formally respond to South Africa’s reimbursement request.