The first group of Nigerian nationals fleeing xenophobic violence in South Africa left the country on Thursday amid ongoing anti‑migrant tensions and a surge in immigration enforcement.
The first group of 268 undocumented Nigerian nationals is part of a larger cohort of 586 people who have volunteered to leave South Africa, according to South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs.
The department said the passengers departed on a morning flight after being issued emergency travel documents by the Nigerian High Commission.
A second flight carrying the remaining individuals is scheduled to leave on 15 June.
All those repatriated have been declared undesirable persons under South African immigration law and are barred from re‑entering the country for five years.
The repatriations follow weeks of heightened tensions in parts of South Africa, where anti‑migrant groups have staged protests demanding the removal of foreign nationals from informal settlements, business districts and mining communities.
These demonstrations have at times turned violent, prompting fears of a repeat of previous waves of xenophobic attacks that left dozens dead and displaced thousands across the country.
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said the latest removals form part of a broader effort to restore order and enforce immigration laws, noting that deportations and repatriations have risen by 46 percent over the past two years.
He said the government is strengthening border management through reforms such as the expansion of the Electronic Travel Authorisation system, the replacement of the old Green ID Book with Smart ID cards, and the rollout of a new digital identity platform.
Schreiber urged the public not to resort to vigilantism, saying immigration enforcement must remain a lawful state‑led process.
South Africa has long struggled with periodic surges of anti‑migrant sentiment, often fuelled by economic hardship, unemployment and competition over scarce resources.
JN/APA