JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — The South African government says it has repatriated 586 Nigerians found to be living illegally in the country, amid heightened concerns over xenophobic tensions.
The Department of Home Affairs confirmed in a statement that the first flight carrying 268 Nigerians departed on June 11, with a second flight scheduled for June 15 to complete the process. All individuals were issued emergency travel documents by the Nigerian High Commission and declared “undesirable persons,” barring them from re‑entering South Africa for five years.
Deputy Director‑General Thulani Mavuso said the operation was carried out in line with immigration law and thanked Nigerian authorities for their cooperation. Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber added: “Our ongoing orderly and lawful deportations and repatriations, which have increased by 46 percent over the past two years, are clear evidence of our commitment to enforcing immigration laws and restoring the rule of law.” He urged South Africans not to take the law into their own hands, stressing that violence against foreigners is unacceptable.
The announcement comes as South Africa continues to grapple with xenophobic attacks targeting African migrants, including Nigerians, Zimbabweans, and Malawians. In past incidents, mobs have looted shops and assaulted foreign nationals, prompting diplomatic tensions across the continent.
Reactions have been swift. On social media, one Nigerian user wrote: “South Africa keeps saying it’s about immigration laws, but we know xenophobia is the real issue.” Another commented: “586 Nigerians deported, what happens to their families and livelihoods back home?”
Policy makers in Nigeria expressed concern. A senior official in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: “We respect South Africa’s right to enforce its laws, but Nigerians must not be scapegoated or targeted unfairly.”
Opinion leaders also weighed in. Human rights advocate Chidi Odinkalu said: “Mass deportations do not solve xenophobia. South Africa must confront the violence against migrants, not just push people out.”
South African commentators defended the move. Political analyst Sipho Dlamini said: “This is about legality. If you are undocumented, you cannot stay. But government must also do more to prevent xenophobic attacks that tarnish the country’s image.”
The repatriation underscores the fragile balance between immigration enforcement and regional diplomacy. For many Nigerians, the episode revives painful memories of past xenophobic violence in South Africa, where migrants have often been blamed for economic hardship.
