The Department of Home Affairs detained and deported 37,942 undocumented foreign nationals between January and August 2026, with the government spending more than R463 million on detention and repatriation during the period.
Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber disclosed the figures in a parliamentary reply to MK Party MP Siyabonga Percival Mkhize, who asked for details on undocumented foreign nationals arrested and deported since January, as well as the costs associated with their detention and repatriation.
“The Department of Home Affairs can only account for the number of undocumented foreign nationals detained and deported, and not arrests conducted by other law enforcement agencies.”
Of the 37,942 foreign nationals detained and deported by Home Affairs between January 1 and August 31, the largest numbers were from Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique and Lesotho.
Zimbabwean nationals accounted for 12,407 deportations, followed by 10,725 Malawians, 9,548 Mozambicans and 4,435 people from Lesotho.
Together, those four countries accounted for 37,115 of the deportations recorded by the department.
Schreiber said the figures did not include “vast numbers” of people who had been processed by Home Affairs for repatriation.
The figures come after the government intensified its repatriation operations in June following a surge in undocumented foreign nationals seeking assistance at temporary sites, particularly in Durban, amid heightened tensions around illegal immigration.
Between June 14 and August 20, about 86,596 foreign nationals were processed for deportation and repatriation through coordinated law enforcement operations.
The Musina Temporary Repatriation Processing Centre in Limpopo, established in June to assist with the processing of undocumented foreign nationals, processed 48,948 people before it closed in August.
Detention costs
The department spent R122.68 million on detention between January and August.
The highest monthly detention bill was recorded in April at R45.2 million, followed by May at R17.66 million and February at R11.6 million.
The department said it did not incur expenditure on repatriation between January and May.
Repatriation expenditure recorded between June and August totalled R341.22 million, bringing the combined detention and repatriation costs disclosed in the reply to about R463.9 million.
The largest listed repatriation expense was R232.83 million for buses supplied by Atlantis.
The department also recorded R48 million for the establishment and operation of the Musina Temporary Repatriation Processing Centre by the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure.
Other costs included R10.66 million paid to the City of eThekwini for transport to Musina, R3.8 million to the City of Cape Town for transport and facilities at Epping, and R8.76 million for chartered flights to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Burundi.
The department also recorded R9.56 million for accommodation in Durban and Musina, and R14.55 million for travel and subsistence, venues and other supplies.
“It is important to note that the Department has reimbursed the Cities of eThekwini and Cape Town for the buses provided,” Schreiber said.
Schreiber said that the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure had not yet submitted its claim for the cost of establishing and maintaining the Musina temporary processing centre.
Government carries repatriation costs
The department said the costs of repatriating undocumented foreign nationals were being carried by the South African government.
“During the recent period, the costs associated with repatriation were borne by the South African Government.”
It said engagements with relevant countries were undertaken where appropriate to assist with identifying, documenting and returning their nationals.
However, the department said such cooperation did not necessarily result in those countries reimbursing South Africa for repatriation costs.
hope.ntanzi.iol.co.za
IOL News
Get your news on the go. Download the latest IOL App for Android and IOS now
