South Africa Wants Nigeria, Others To Pay $18.5m Repatriation Bill

The South African government has asked Malawi, Nigeria, and Ethiopia to reimburse the costs of repatriating their nationals following recent xenophobic violence in the country.

South Africa's Department of Home Affairs stated that it spent approximately $18.5 million on these repatriations—an amount that, according to the department, exceeded the allocated budget.

Reports indicate that Malawian nationals made up the largest group among those repatriated, followed by citizens of Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

The $18.5 million figure covers costs for transport, temporary accommodation, and food, South African authorities specified.

"The South African government wants to be reimbursed for repatriation costs; but who will compensate the foreigners who lost their businesses due to this violence? Is South Africa in a position to adequately compensate the families of those killed during this xenophobic violence?" asked Mark Uchendu, an Abuja-based economist, in response.