Musina: Government has closed the Musina Temporary Repatriation Processing Centre in Limpopo after processing nearly 49,000 foreign nationals since the facility was established in June.
According to South African Government News Agency, a statement issued by the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration on Thursday revealed that 48,948 foreign nationals were processed at the temporary centre near the Beitbridge Port of Entry. Of these, 46,744, or 95.5%, were identified as individuals who crossed the border at unauthorized points, while 2,204, or 4.5%, had entered through official ports.
The centre primarily processed Malawian nationals, followed by individuals from Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Established on 26 June 2026, the centre aimed to manage increased migration pressures and ensure the lawful processing of undocumented migrants in need of assisted repatriation.
The facility united officials from the Department of Home Affairs, the Border Management Authority (BMA), South African Police Service (SAPS), health and social development departments, and humanitarian organizations. The decision to close the centre came as a response to a decline in the number of people requiring processing and repatriation.
The operational capacity of the centre had been scaled down from 20,000 to about 1,500 people from 1 August due to the decrease in arrivals. There were instances when no individuals presented for processing in the final days of the centre's operation.
The government cited the cost of maintaining the temporary facility, including expenses for hired equipment, generator fuel, extra security, and official deployment, as factors influencing the decision to decommission it. The dismantling of tents and other temporary infrastructure began on 21 August 2026.
Despite the closure, the government emphasized that deportations and repatriations would continue as state responsibilities. The IMC clarified that undocumented migrants would not automatically be transferred to the Lindela Repatriation Centre; instead, authorities would determine the appropriate facility based on individual circumstances and legal considerations.
The IMC highlighted the centre's role in coordinating responses to migration pressures and reiterated its commitment to border management, immigration law enforcement, and tackling human trafficking. It also urged the public not to engage in unlawful immigration enforcement actions.
