by TINTSWALO BALOYI in Johannesburg & EMEKA OKONKWO in Abuja
Africa Bureau
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – BY demanding compensation for costs involved in deporting undocumented African nationals, the South African government risks inflaming diplomatic tensions with countries whose nationals have been affected by xenophobic violence.
Meanwhile, a vigilante group at the forefront of the violence has set a new “deadline” for undocumented nationals to leave or be deported by September.
Calls for compensation by South Africa represent a reversal of roles in the crisis, in that, initially, some countries whose citizens were deported and suffered economic losses were demanding reimbursement for these citizens.
Suddenly, the script has flipped and South Africa is demanding that those same countries pay for the logistical costs of returning those citizens.
The South African country, boasting the biggest economy on the continent, is asking Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, old-time foe Nigeria and Zimbabwe to refund about R292 million (over $18 million) spent on repatriating and deporting their citizens.
A financial dispute is looming against these cash-strapped nations whose citizens have fled economic problems to seek refuge in South Africa.
Formal written requests have reportedly been sent primarily to Ethiopia, Malawi and Nigeria, together with neighbouring Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
These are to cover expenses including bus transit, food, staff overtime and the operation of temporary processing and holding facilities like the Lindela Repatriation Centre outside Johannesburg and a temporary site in Musina near the border with Zimbabwe.
Ahead of a June 30 so-called deadline set by vigilante groups for foreigners to vacate, more than 82 000 individuals were deported or voluntarily repatriated.
Some of the budget to deport these migrants was unbudgeted for in South Africa, itself undergoing an economic downturn.
Some South Africans blame an influx of African nationals for rising unemployment.
Initially, the deportation or repatriation of foreign nationals, some of whom were deprived of their economic rights, culminated in calls for compensation by affected countries, some of which engaged in a war of words with South Africa.
Some foreign-owned businesses were looted and violently taken over by locals despite the government’s denouncement of the violence.
Nigeria is among the most vocal countries after a South African cabinet minister accused some affected Nigerians of running drug cartels in the host country.
A South African-based analyst, speaking to CAJ News Africa in Johannesburg, forecast the fallout to deepen amid the calls by South Africa for reparations.
“Presenting an $18-million reimbursement bill to nations like Ethiopia, Malawi and Nigeria risks intensifying diplomatic friction and worsening already fragile relations,” he said anonymously.
He said while South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs framed the request as recovering “unforeseen and unavoidable” operational costs that heavily stressed its budget, partner nations viewed the fallout through the lens of safety and state protection.
“Demanding that source countries pay for the processing and return of citizens displaced by anti-migrant strains risks being received as tone-deaf or punitive,” the commentator noted.
Speaking to this publication in Abuja, Nigeria, West African politics expert Auta Ibrahim concurred.
He argued other African governments had already faced huge domestic pressure over the safety of their diaspora.
Some, he noted, were demanding accountability and compensation for property destruction and lost livelihoods during the unrest.
“Issuing a substantial financial demand back to these same capitals adds a contentious economic dispute on top of existing security concerns, running counter to broader regional goals of Pan-African solidarity,” Ibrahim said.
Ghana, the West African country that arguably has been the most vocal against South Africa over the outbreak of vigilantism against African nationals in South Africa, stated, “For the avoidance of doubt, Ghana did not seek any financial or material support from the South African Government to bring our fellow nationals back home.”
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Minister of Foreign Affairs, stated on behalf of the government.
“Ghanaians can therefore be assured that under no circumstances will Ghana be listed among the countries being requested by the Government of South Africa to reimburse the cost incurred in repatriating foreign nationals,” he said.
Coincidentally, South Africa is this week hosting the rest of the region for the 46th Ordinary Summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Heads of State and Government in the coastal city of Durban, which, alongside Johannesburg, was worst hit by xenophobic tensions.
Delivering a lecture at a Durban university ahead of the summit, host President Cyril Ramaphosa said, “As South Africans, we are deeply concerned and ashamed that nationals from other countries have in recent months been subjected to discrimination and ill-treatment.”
“The criminal actions of a few within our communities are a repudiation of the solidarity upon which this (SADC) community was founded. We cannot preach integration at summits and practise exclusion in our streets,” the president added.
Preceding the summit, the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) confirmed the arrest of three foreign nationals who attempted to gain unauthorised access to the conference venue.
Two Congolese nationals face charges of fraud, impersonation and contravention of the Safety at Sports and Recreational Events Act.
A Zimbabwean national arrested for allegedly attempting to obtain accreditation under the guise of being a performing artist faces a charge relating to being illegally in South Africa.
Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, NATJOINTS spokesperson, said the operation was aware of plans for marches and other public gatherings in and around Durban during the summit period.
She said security and law-enforcement plans were in place to manage these activities. The spokesperson said NATJOINTS respected the constitutional right to protest peacefully and lawfully.
“However, there will be no tolerance for criminality, violence, intimidation, threats, destruction of property, attempts to breach restricted areas or any deliberate effort to disrupt the proceedings of the summit.”
Vigilante group March and March has organised a protest outside the venue, under the theme, “It’s Time to Fetch Your People.”
It has set a new “deadline” of September 30 for the deportation of all foreigners illegally in the country.
“The movement is confident and in a structurally better position than it was on 30 June to launch a mother of all National Day of Action against illegal foreigners in South Africa,” Sandile Dube, March and March spokesperson, said.
SADC is a 16-nation bloc comprising Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The xenophobic violence led to the latest activation of the NATJOINTS.
In addition to the tensions, the emerging crisis in Zambia, where violent polls were held last Thursday, is set to feature on the agenda.
– CAJ News