South Africa Seeks Compensation From Nigeria, Others Over Repatriation Costs

South Africa has asked several African countries to reimburse it for the cost of repatriating tens of thousands of their citizens amid heightened tensions over illegal immigration.

According to a report by AP the request followed South Africa’s deportation or repatriation of more than 80,000 immigrants after protests and violence linked to illegal immigration.

The country’s Home Affairs department told lawmakers on Tuesday that it had spent nearly $18 million accommodating and transporting immigrants who requested to return to their home countries.

Officials said the foreign ministry had sent written requests for compensation to Malawi, Ethiopia and Nigeria.

The funds covered transportation by bus, temporary repatriation centres and staff overtime, among other expenses. Tommy Makhode, the director-general of the Home Affairs department, described the costs as “unforeseen and unavoidable.”

Some municipalities and government departments involved in the repatriation have also demanded compensation from the Home Affairs department because the expenses were not included in their budgets.

Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber described the recent volume of repatriations and deportations as unprecedented.

Read Also: JUST IN: Final Evacuation Flight From South Africa Arrives Lagos

The departures have occurred amid heightened tensions over immigration in South Africa, where anti-illegal migration groups have staged protests and attacks on foreign nationals have strained relations with other African governments.

The groups have blamed migrants for high unemployment, crime and pressure on public services.

Some countries in the region have accused the South African government of failing to protect their citizens, an allegation the government has denied.

Most recently, Ghana sought to have the situation in South Africa included on the agenda of an upcoming African Union meeting, but the continental body rejected the proposal.

According to the latest South African government figures, 82,875 people have either been voluntarily repatriated or deported since the migration tensions began. However, figures released by the migrants’ home governments put the number at about 178,000.

The departures form part of a broader government crackdown on illegal migration. Between April and July, 16,078 nationals, mostly from Lesotho, Malawi, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, were deported through the country’s Lindela Repatriation Centre.

South African law enforcement officials said last week that they would intensify operations targeting illegal migration and related offences.

They said nearly 60,000 people living in the country illegally had been arrested, including 16,208 in July alone.