R233-million spent on buses for fleeing immigrants

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has allocated R341-million since June 2026 for repatriating and deporting foreign nationals, with nearly 70% of the funds directed towards buses for immigrants fleeing xenophobic violence. Around 100,000 foreigners have left South Africa, primarily at Beitbridge in Musina. According to Zamachonco Chonco, the chief financial officer of the Border Management Authority, approximately 90,000 individuals were repatriated voluntarily and 10,000 were deported during specific periods.

Most of the repatriated individuals crossed Beitbridge and returned to Malawi (54,000) and Zimbabwe (28,000). Out of this expenditure, a significant portion of R233-million was spent on buses, while R48-million was allocated to the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) for setting up temporary repatriation facilities at Musina, which have since been closed.

Reimbursements were also made to eThekwini municipality and the City of Cape Town for transport to Musina and Epping, respectively. Additional costs included overtime, accommodation for officials, chartered flights to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, and Nigeria, and expenditures incurred by provinces. The DHA director-general, Tommy Makhode, mentioned that DHA officials had worked extremely long hours, and R13-million in overtime was approved.

The DHA is pursuing reimbursements from other countries through diplomatic channels and has written to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation for assistance.