South Africa deports over 53,000 foreigners in xenophobia wave; repatriated Namibians eye return
More than 53,000 foreign nationals were processed for deportation from South Africa amid a wave of xenophobic attacks; Namibia repatriated its nationals but many are already hoping to return, as Pretoria said it would handle future requests case by case.
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Summary
South Africa processed more than 53,000 foreign nationals for deportation and repatriation amid an escalating wave of xenophobic attacks in 2026, the South African government reported. Neighbouring Namibia repatriated its nationals from South Africa, but many of those returned said they hope to go back, and the Namibian government said future assistance requests would be handled on a case-by-case basis. South Africa has seen periodic eruptions of xenophobic violence against foreign workers from Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, and other countries throughout its democratic era.
Why it matters
South Africa is the continent's most industrialised economy and a destination for millions of economic migrants from across southern and sub-Saharan Africa. A sustained deportation drive of this scale disrupts labour flows, strains bilateral relations with source countries, and raises questions about South Africa's commitment to the SADC free-movement framework.
What to watch
- Whether the Namibian government formally protests the deportations through SADC or bilateral channels
- Whether South Africa's government takes legislative action to address xenophobic violence rather than responding only with deportations
- The scale and pace of deportations beyond the Namibia cohort, including Zimbabwe and Mozambique nationals