The Irish government has deported 42 South African nationals living illegally in Ireland, returning them to Johannesburg on a charter flight at an initial cost of €735,000 (about $845,000).
According to The Irish Times, the deportees included nine men, 18 women, and 15 children, all traveling as family units. They were escorted from Dublin Airport on Thursday, arriving in South Africa on Friday morning. This marks Ireland’s fourth major deportation charter flight of the year.
The Garda National Immigration Bureau carried out the removals based on deportation orders issued to individuals found to be in the country illegally who declined voluntary return. Irish authorities also noted that two of those deported had previous criminal convictions in Ireland.
Although South Africa is officially designated by Ireland as a safe country of origin, South Africans may only qualify for asylum if they can provide documentary proof of a direct threat to their safety at home.
Irish Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan stressed that while most South Africans in Ireland have legal status, strict enforcement of immigration laws is essential. Our immigration system must be rules-based and robust, O’Callaghan said. Enforcement, including deportation orders, is necessary to maintain public confidence in our laws.
O’Callaghan added that the €735,000 figure for the recent deportation flight is preliminary, with the full cost to be determined once invoicing is complete. He also noted that, prior to this latest operation, three charter flights earlier this year deported 130 people—including 67 EU citizens removed for criminal offenses.
As reported by Africa Business Insider, this development highlights the dual migration crisis facing South Africa: while its citizens encounter stricter enforcement and forced returns from Europe, the country itself is contending with domestic anti-immigrant campaigns and growing xenophobia.
Amidst an unemployment rate above 30%, South Africa has seen a surge in anti-immigrant unrest ahead of an unofficial June 30 deadline set by local vigilante groups, prompting thousands of undocumented African nationals to flee for safety.
Nigeria, for example, has evacuated 258 of its citizens from South Africa, but over 742 remain stranded, facing hunger and homelessness due to logistical delays with flights.
This situation has led to urgent calls for the Nigerian government to expedite further repatriations. Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has warned that while the government has shown diplomatic restraint, it may reconsider the status of over 120 South African companies operating in Nigeria—including MTN, MultiChoice, and Stanbic—if the harassment of Nigerians in South Africa persists.
Meanwhile, the South African government is expressing concern about the economic consequences of the crisis. Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Mmamoloko Kubayi recently noted that South African artists have had shows canceled across the continent, and businesses owned by South Africans abroad are suffering due to anger over the treatment of migrants.
(Punchng Report)
