Bus operators accuse Minister Creecy of favouring foreign firms in repatriation contracts

South African cross-border bus operators have accused Transport Minister Barbara Creecy of bias and victimisation, claiming she has shielded foreign bus companies from prosecution while those companies continue to breach rules governing cross-border operations. According to The Citizen, the allegations centre on contracts to repatriate migrants and the handling of permit violations.

Allegations over repatriation contracts

Operators told The Citizen that buses intercepted at the Beitbridge border post carrying undocumented immigrants were not penalised, yet the department of home affairs continued to award those same companies contracts to repatriate migrants. Local operators say they have been excluded from these contracts.

Claims of lost opportunity and corruption

Phumudzo Mukhwathi, chair of the African Unite Borders Bus Trucks Association (AUBBTA), was quoted by The Citizen arguing that the R344 million spent on repatriation amounted to “a heist and a scam”, which he said benefited foreign operators and corrupt officials while denying jobs to South African youth.

“The money should have been used to train border guards, employ health workers and expand public works programmes to create jobs for our people,” Mukhwathi said, according to The Citizen.

Permit breaches and contested enforcement

Local operators raised concerns about illegal buses violating conveyance permit conditions under the Cross Border Road Transport Act. The Citizen reported that at least 25 buses were intercepted in 2023 and more in 2025, yet some of those companies were later contracted to repatriate migrants instead of facing permit suspensions.

Response and escalation

The dispute escalated after Transport Minister Barbara Creecy, in a parliamentary reply to questions, named Mukhwathi’s company, Mukhwathi Mining Investments CC, among those contravening cross-border regulations, according to The Citizen. Mukhwathi rejected the claim, insisting his company had never been intercepted for transporting undocumented passengers.

What operators want

According to The Citizen, operators have called for stronger enforcement of permit conditions and have suggested bilateral arrangements with neighbouring states to share repatriation costs and hold SADC members accountable for undocumented crossings.

Investigation and clarity The operators’ accusations and the naming of specific companies by the minister in Parliament have heightened calls for clarity on how repatriation contracts are awarded and how permit violations are enforced.