SOWETAN | Almost R1bn on migration crisis state failed to prevent

The recent mass deportation and repatriation of almost 90,000 undocumented foreign nationals has cost the government — and taxpayers — nearly R300m. This expenditure is not only astronomical but is also unsustainable considering that in this country money is always in short supply to fund the delivery of basic services to communities.

The money spent on this self-created migration crisis could have been used on many things that improve the quality of lives of South Africans.

The staggering cost is, therefore, as a result of the government’s failure to manage migration for years. Borders have always been there, whether they be fences, walls, rivers, oceans, or mountains. And for as long as there have been borders, people have always moved across them — legally and illegally. But our borders aren’t the problem; the people responsible for managing them are the problem.

We spent around R40m a few years ago “upgrading” the fence along the Limpopo River to control the movement of people between SA and Zimbabwe. We also built a 25km concrete barrier wall in KwaZulu-Natal, along the Mozambique border, to help stem the smuggling of vehicles at a cost of around R87m.

For many a year, we’ve tried to manage the migration problem, yet people still manage to get into our country undocumented. This brings with it many problems: mainly the burden on healthcare, education and other social ills.

Infrastructure and housing, to name but a few, have also borne the brunt of the strain. And then there’s the whole unemployment problem, which breeds competition and tension between locals and foreigners. These were the driving factors behind the rise of anti-migrant organisations embarking on protests to rid our country of undocumented migrants.

A nationwide protest was called for on June 30. The government stepped in, worried about the safety of all citizens and the potential instability. At least R600m was budgeted for a joint safety and security operation covering the protests.

So basically, if we add the two amounts for both security and repatriations, nearly R1bn was allocated for security and sending undocumented foreign nationals home in just two months.

If the people entrusted with managing our borders and migration had done their jobs properly, and the problem was not neglected, this R1bn could have been spent where it really matters – improving the lives of the citizens.

Unless our porous borders are better managed and the government takes its responsibility seriously in enforcing our laws, we’re likely to spend more millions on putting a band-aid on a gaping wound.