South Africa Says Repatriation of Undocumented Migrants Is Voluntary

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has said the repatriation of undocumented foreign nationals is being carried out voluntarily in collaboration with affected countries and international refugee agencies. He said the process is designed to respect the rights of both South Africans and foreign nationals, adding that only government officials have the authority to verify a person’s immigration status.

Ramaphosa said the government has established repatriation centres, including one in Musina near the Zimbabwean border, which has processed more than 45,000 undocumented migrants since July 2. More than 50,000 migrants have left South Africa as xenophobic tensions continue, prompting Nigeria to evacuate its citizens. The latest evacuation brought home 287 Nigerians, raising the total number repatriated to over 1,700, while more than 1,000 others remain registered for voluntary return.

Written by News Room