South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs says it has spent R292 million on a repatriation operation and is now seeking reimbursement from Malawi, Nigeria and Ethiopia.
In a statement cited by IOL, the department says it has written to the three countries requesting payment of costs it incurred. The request is framed around recovery of expenses related to the process of returning people to their home countries. Public reporting in the provided sources focuses on the amount spent and the countries contacted, rather than providing further details about the number of people repatriated, the timeframe, or the status of negotiations.
While the available material does not indicate whether the countries have responded or disputed the charges, the overall angle across the sources is consistent: Home Affairs is seeking to recoup repatriation costs from Malawi, Nigeria and Ethiopia after completing or funding the operation.
