Home Affairs Reports Costs for Repatriation Efforts

South Africa spent over R460 million on the detention and deportation of undocumented foreign nationals in 2026.

Updated on Oct. 28, 2026 in Immigration

Home Affairs Reports Costs for Repatriation Efforts

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Do you support the government spending millions of rand to repatriate undocumented foreign nationals?

Between January and August 2026, the Department of Home Affairs spent R341 million on repatriations and R122 million on detention. These operations resulted in the deportation of 37,942 undocumented foreign nationals.

Why it matters

The expenditure highlights the significant fiscal resources required to identify, process, and return undocumented individuals to their home countries. Ongoing costs include reimbursements to municipal partners and the operation of specialised processing centres.

Official data confirms R341 million in repatriation spending from June to August 2026, following R122 million spent on detention from January to May. Total operational costs include R232 million for bus hire, R48 million for the Musina Centre, and R8.7 million for chartered flights.

The players

Department of Home Affairs

This government institution is responsible for managing immigration, asylum, and the deportation of foreign nationals within South Africa.

eThekwini Metro

This municipal government body provided transportation services for immigrants that were later reimbursed by the national department.

City of Cape Town

The local government authority provided facilities at Epping and transport services during the repatriation process.

The details

The Department of Home Affairs managed these repatriations through direct engagements with foreign governments to verify identities and document individuals. Law enforcement agencies conducted arrests of undocumented foreign nationals throughout the year to facilitate these removals.

January 1, 2026, to May 31, 2026: Detention of undocumented immigrants cost R122 million.
June 2026 to August 2026: Repatriation of undocumented immigrants cost R341 million.
August 31, 2026: Official deportation count period concluded.

Political Context

The government's spending on deportations aligns with the enforcement mandates outlined in the Immigration Act. Opposition parties and advocacy groups often challenge these expenditures by questioning the efficiency of repatriation logistics and the priority of these allocations in the national budget.

These expenditures reflect the tax burden associated with managing national borders and enforcing visa compliance. Future audits regarding municipal reimbursements and processing centre costs will determine if further fiscal adjustments are required from the national budget.

The takeaway

Effective border management requires consistent financial transparency regarding operational logistics like transport and temporary housing. Taxpayers and policymakers continue to track these high-cost processes to assess the sustainability of current immigration enforcement strategies.