South Africa Pushes for Law to Repatriate Foreign Prisoners

(MENAFN) The South African government is progressing with internal deliberations within the Justice, Crime Prevention, and Security Cluster to introduce legislation that would enable the repatriation of foreign nationals currently serving sentences in the country’s correctional facilities.

This effort, led by Correctional Services Minister Pieter Groenewald, aligns with ongoing negotiations with fellow Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states aimed at crafting bilateral accords to facilitate the return of these inmates once the legal groundwork is in place.

South Africa is currently contending with an overwhelming number of incarcerated foreign nationals — more than 24,000 — creating a significant strain on public resources.

The daily cost of housing these prisoners has reached an astonishing R11,112,000, further intensifying the urgency for a legislative solution.

The matter has sparked growing concern among Members of Parliament from various political parties.

Representatives such as ActionSA’s Delereen James and MK Party’s David Skosana have highlighted the mounting pressures stemming from the rising number of foreign inmates, including the severe financial and logistical implications of their prolonged imprisonment.

During a parliamentary session, James questioned Groenewald about the measures his department has adopted to streamline deportation procedures for foreign nationals convicted of crimes in South Africa.

Her inquiry reflects growing frustrations over the persistent overcrowding in prisons and the significant toll it takes on national resources.

Skosana also raised a query, seeking clarity on whether any inmates have been deported since April 1 and requesting information about the projected timeframe for the resumption of deportation activities.

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