South Africa is asking several African governments to reimburse some costs connected with the return of their nationals. Associated Press reported that the request followed a period of intensified enforcement against undocumented migration and heightened tensions around immigration.
Officials told lawmakers that 82,875 people had either been voluntarily repatriated or deported since the tensions began. AP also reported a higher count from some governments of migrants’ home countries. The figures are not directly interchangeable because they use different definitions and return arrangements.
What is confirmed
Between April and July, 16,078 people, mostly nationals of Lesotho, Malawi, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, were deported through the Lindela Repatriation Centre, according to the AP report. South Africa said it had spent almost $18 million on accommodation, transport, centres and overtime.
A return, a voluntary repatriation and a deportation are not the same legal process. People with an active immigration case should seek current local legal advice rather than assume a published national figure decides their own position.
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