{
  "id": 6132880,
  "title": "Home Affairs deported 57 000 foreigners at R175m cost in two years",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/07/home-affairs-deported-57-000-foreigners-at-r175m-cost-in-two-years",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-07T12:22:23.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Citizen",
    "slug": "the-citizen",
    "url": "https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/home-affairs-deported-57-000-foreigners-at-r175m-cost-in-two-years/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) spent over R175 million deporting 57,464 foreign nationals over two financial years, according to Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber. In the 2024-25 financial year, 51,650 people were deported at a cost of R101,773,704.72. However, the number of deportations dropped significantly in the 2025-26 financial year, with only 5,814 foreign nationals deported at a cost of R73,375,375.62. As of 28 August, 3,731 foreign nationals remained in detention awaiting deportation, nearing the capacity of the Lindela holding facility used for deportation. DHA spokesperson Schreiber stated that keeping people in detention for extended periods is not the intention, and the department aims to facilitate their removal as quickly as possible.",
  "summary": "The latest figures also show the pressure on the state's deportation system, with 3 731 foreign nationals in detention awaiting deportation",
  "key_points": [
    "Department of Home Affairs deported 57,464 foreigners over two years.",
    "Cost of deportations exceeded R175 million in 2024-25 financial year.",
    "Only 5,814 people deported in 2025-26 financial year."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The substantial drop in deportations in the 2025-26 financial year, coupled with a significant backlog of detainees, suggests inefficiencies in the Department of Home Affairs' deportation process.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}