Home Affairs Committee Calls for Countries to Share Cost of Repatriation and Deportation

The Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs has called on the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), working with the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), to intensify consultations with countries whose nationals have been repatriated or deported from South Africa to ensure that the costs incurred by the South African government are appropriately shared.

The committee made the call during a meeting with the Department of Home Affairs and the Border Management Authority (BMA), where it was briefed on the repatriation and deportation process.

The committee heard that the department had incurred approximately R292.77 million in costs associated with the repatriation and deportation of foreign nationals. The expenditure included approximately R203.50 million for buses used to transport foreign nationals, R48 million for the establishment of a temporary repatriation centre in Musina, and approximately R4 million in overtime costs for officials involved in the process.

Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs, Mr Mosa Chabane, said that while the expenditure was necessary under the circumstances, the financial burden should not be carried by the department alone, particularly given the current financial constraints facing government departments.

"The department, like all other departments, is facing financial difficulty and while the expenditure was necessary under the circumstances, if the funds are not reimbursed it will have a direct impact on the baseline of the department and will affect planned programmes. Also, this accentuates the need for interaction on how countries with high immigrant numbers carry the weight of deportation of their citizens," said Mr Chabane.

In line with this, the committee will request a detailed breakdown of all costs incurred during the repatriation and deportation process, including an indication of where the resources were diverted from and the impact that this expenditure has had on the department's planned programmes and budget.

The committee welcomed the collaboration demonstrated by government departments during the repatriation process. It noted that this cooperation contributed to ensuring that the process was seamless and conducted in accordance with South Africa's international standards and obligations.

The committee also raised serious concerns about the continued underfunding of the Border Management Authority and the impact that inadequate resources are having on the authority's ability to effectively fulfil its mandate. Mr Chabane said the committee was particularly concerned that the BMA was unable to fund basic operational requirements necessary for effective border management.

"The continued underfunding of the BMA is a concern, especially because the authority cannot fund the most basic operational activities, including buying batteries for the drones they utilise to monitor activities at the ports of entry and along the border fence. The committee noted during its recent visit that officials still wear uniforms that they were provided with when the authority was established," Mr Chabane emphasised.

The concern was confirmed by the BMA Commissioner, Dr Mike Masiapato, who said that longstanding budgetary constraints continue to pose a significant challenge to the authority. He indicated that the BMA has engaged with National Treasury in an effort to secure additional resources and improve the authority's capacity to execute its mandate.

"For example, the uniforms were provided to border guards when the structure was established and the authority has not been able to purchase new sets because of the lack of funding," Dr Masiapato said.

The committee reiterated the need for an in-depth reconsideration of the BMA's funding model, particularly in the context of the current immigration-related challenges facing the country and the vulnerability of South Africa's borders.

The committee emphasised that effective border management is critical to addressing immigration challenges and protecting the integrity of South Africa's ports of entry and borders. It therefore called for the BMA to be adequately resourced to ensure that it can perform its mandate effectively and sustainably.

Malatswa Molepo

11 August 2026