Tens of thousands of undocumented foreign nationals have either voluntarily returned to their home countries or have been deported in recent weeks, amid the growing tensions.
Some undocumented Zimbabwean and Malawian nationals repatriated from Cape Town said they have no intention of returning to South Africa, citing years of struggling to obtain legal documentation and what they describe as poor treatment.
Zimbabwean national Rufaro Sachiti, who said he has legal status in South Africa, believes many foreign nationals made genuine efforts to obtain legal documentation but were let down by the system.
“If you look at most of these people here, they’ve also wanted to get their documentation right, but we all know the situation that happens at the Home Affairs; it doesn’t only affect South Africans, it also affects foreign nationals that basically want to get their papers sorted.”
The repatriations come as pressure mounts on the government to strengthen border management while addressing longstanding challenges in the country’s immigration system.