South Africa has repatriated 250 foreign nationals to Zimbabwe and Nigeria as authorities continue large-scale voluntary repatriation and deportation operations amid renewed migration-related tensions and safety concerns in KwaZulu-Natal.
The coordinated operation was carried out on Thursday, September 10, 2026, in cooperation with the relevant foreign diplomatic missions. It followed reports of displaced and stranded foreign nationals seeking urgent humanitarian assistance outside their respective diplomatic offices.
According to government officials, the operation was conducted in accordance with South Africa’s immigration laws and established international humanitarian procedures, with authorities seeking to ensure an orderly, safe and humane process.
Deputy Government Spokesperson William Baloyi said two groups of nationals were assisted during the operation, including a significant number of vulnerable minors.
A total of 194 Zimbabwean nationals who had gathered at the Zimbabwean Consulate in Johannesburg were processed and departed for Zimbabwe. The group comprised 35 adult males, 58 adult females and 101 minors.
A further 56 Nigerian nationals were processed in coordination with the Nigerian Embassy. The group included 18 adult males, 17 adult females and 21 minors.
The intervention followed growing concerns about the welfare of migrants who had been awaiting assistance at the former Zimbabwean consulate premises. Some had reportedly been living in makeshift conditions while waiting for documentation and travel arrangements to be finalized.
South African authorities worked with the respective diplomatic missions to complete essential documentation, background checks and fingerprint verification processes. The cooperation enabled officials to accelerate the return of the affected nationals to their countries.
The government said the operation forms part of its broader approach to managing migration challenges while balancing immigration enforcement with humanitarian considerations.
Officials reiterated South Africa’s commitment to working with regional authorities, foreign governments and international stakeholders to address migration-related challenges.
The government also stressed that migration enforcement must respect human dignity while upholding the rule of law.
Meanwhile, the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration (IMC) says more than 90,000 foreign nationals have been processed for deportation and repatriation to date.
The committee has continued to warn members of the public against taking immigration enforcement into their own hands.
The warning comes amid continued activity by anti-immigration groups, some of which have vowed to force people they identify as illegal immigrants to leave the country.
Authorities have urged communities to allow law-enforcement and immigration agencies to carry out deportations and other immigration-related processes through established legal channels.
