The South African government has announced plans to start charging foreign governments, including Nigeria, for the cost of deporting their citizens who violate the country’s immigration laws.
The move comes as authorities step up efforts to address illegal migration amid growing pressure over immigration-related issues.
According to reports by Channel Africa, the new policy was unveiled by South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation.
The department said the government spends significant resources detaining and deporting undocumented migrants and now wants countries of origin to share the financial burden.
Officials revealed that more than 100,000 undocumented migrants have been deported from South Africa over the past two years, a development they say has placed considerable strain on public finances.
Under the proposed arrangement, governments whose citizens are arrested and later deported for immigration offences will be required to cover the cost of returning them home.
“Going forward, we will also be billing countries for their foreign nationals who have to be deported or who are being held in our detention facilities before deportation,” the department said.
South African authorities added that the Department of Home Affairs would work closely with other government agencies to ensure the policy is fully implemented.
The announcement comes amid increasing debate over migration management in South Africa, where concerns over undocumented migration have remained a major political and social issue in recent years.
