South Africa spends over R60 million annually on deportations

The Department of Home Affairs says it spends more than R60 million annually deporting undocumented foreign nationals through neighbouring countries, with most removals taking place via the Beitbridge Border Post.

Briefing Parliament's Standing Committee on Appropriations, Home Affairs chief financial officer Gordon Hollamby said the department has invested in its own transport fleet to reduce long-term deportation costs.

"Of just over R60 million per annum, now chairperson the question is, does deportation make sense? And do they not come back quicker than what we deport?" Hollamby said.

"Unfortunately chair, in some instances, and that's anecdotal, I am told that some of the people say to the drivers, 'they will see us back in Gauteng'."

Hollamby said the department had purchased buses and other vehicles specifically for deportation operations and had also benefited from vehicle funding support.

He noted that the most expensive deportations involve chartered international flights.

"The expensive deportation is chartering a flight. And chairperson, to charter one flight to Pakistan it costs you about R5 million," he said.

Hollamby also told lawmakers that not all undocumented migrants enter South Africa through illegal crossing points such as the river at Beitbridge.

"People fly into the country on a normal visitors' visa and then just simply stay and they don't go back," he said.

The remarks come amid ongoing debate in South Africa over border security, immigration management and the financial burden associated with undocumented migration.