Several African countries repatriate citizens from South Africa as tensions rise

Several African governments have moved to repatriate citizens from South Africa as tensions rose following threats from an anti-illegal migrant group and a national response from President Cyril Ramaphosa. The coordinated returns from multiple countries began in early June 2026 amid concerns for the safety and legal status of foreign nationals in South Africa.

Government response and nationwide action

President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation as tensions grew over illegal immigration. He said the Department of Home Affairs, the Border Management Authority (BMA), the South African Police Service (SAPS) and other law enforcement agencies would intensify efforts to identify and deport undocumented foreign nationals. Ramaphosa said immigration was a global issue and criticised people who take the law into their own hands.

Which countries repatriated citizens

Several African countries organised repatriation operations for citizens who did not feel safe or who were found to be in South Africa without valid travel documentation.

Malawi

150 Malawian nationals began their journey home from South Africa under a coordinated voluntary repatriation exercise after two buses departed from the Western Cape on Saturday, June 6, 2026. Malawian authorities said returnees would undergo administrative processing and reintegration procedures on arrival in Malawi.

Ghana

The BMA confirmed 663 Ghanaian nationals were processed for repatriation from South Africa through OR Tambo International Airport over the weekend. BMA spokesperson Mmemme Mogotsi said nine passengers were later offloaded after being declared medically unfit to travel.

Mmemme Mogotsi described how the repatriation was coordinated:

“On Saturday, June 6, 2026, a group of 332 Ghanaian nationals was brought to OR Tambo International Airport by the Ghanaian High Commission in Pretoria for repatriation.”

She said travellers underwent verification and clearance at BMA Immigration. Of those processed, 170 travelled on Ghanaian ordinary passports and 162 used Emergency Travel Certificates. Mogotsi said 321 travellers were found to have overstayed their allocated period of stay by 30 days or longer and were declared undesirable under the Immigration Act and relevant regulations.

Mozambique

The BMA confirmed a group of 141 Mozambican nationals left South Africa through the Lebombo Port of Entry. The Embassy of the Republic of Mozambique in South Africa transported the individuals from Mossel Bay to Lebombo using three buses. The BMA said 168 Mozambican nationals and one South African citizen arrived at the port for processing; the South African citizen was refused departure after indicating an intention to accompany the group without proper travel arrangements.

Of those processed, 141 individuals (97 males and 44 females) were undocumented and were deported under the Immigration Act. A further eight Mozambican nationals held valid passports and were processed for lawful departure. The group included 19 minors.

Nigeria

The Nigerian government has confirmed it will be repatriating 1,000 of its citizens from South Africa. Flights originally expected to take place on Monday were postponed, with the airlift rescheduled to Wednesday, June 11, 2026, while authorities completed preparations. A local news channel, TVC News Nigeria, reported that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved five evacuation flights. More than 500 people wishing to leave South Africa have been screened and cleared for repatriation, though the source does not specify how many will be on the first flight.

What authorities say about processing and legality

The BMA emphasised that repatriation operations involved coordination among government stakeholders to ensure lawful and orderly movement across ports of entry. Mogotsi noted the use of Emergency Travel Certificates to facilitate returns and the application of immigration law where travellers had overstayed their permitted time in South Africa.

Next steps and ongoing operations

Repatriation operations continued over the first week of June 2026 with multiple countries facilitating departures through air and land ports of entry. Authorities in the receiving countries were reported to have procedures in place for arrival processing and reintegration where applicable.

Editor’s note: Dates and passenger figures corrected to match original source.