Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya
Beitbridge Bureau
SOUTH AFRICA’S Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs has expressed satisfaction with the coordinated efforts of the Department of Home Affairs and its partners in facilitating the processing, deportation and repatriation of migrants at the Temporary Repatriation Processing Centre (TRPC) in Musina, Limpopo.
The committee conducted the first day of its urgent oversight visit to the TRPC on Tuesday as part of its constitutional responsibility to oversee the implementation of immigration legislation, assess operational readiness and ensure that the rights and dignity of all persons are upheld throughout the repatriation process.
During the visit, the committee received a comprehensive briefing on the operations of the facility and observed the processing systems firsthand.
In addition, the legislators were informed that more than 38 000 foreign nationals had been processed for deportation and repatriation in less than a week as of Saturday, 4 July 2026.
The committee was further informed that the cumulative number of migrants processed has since exceeded 45 000.
“The committee noted that the TRPC was established under the auspices of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration to facilitate the efficient registration, verification and processing of undocumented foreign nationals while ensuring the provision of humanitarian services, including food, healthcare and other essential support,” said the Committee in a statement.
“Situated on land belonging to the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, the facility has the capacity to accommodate up to 20 000 people at any given time.”
Chairperson of the committee, Mr Mosa Chabane, commended the collaborative approach adopted by all stakeholders involved in the operation.
“The committee has been encouraged by the level of coordination demonstrated by the Department of Home Affairs, municipalities, law enforcement agencies, diplomatic missions and humanitarian organisations,” he said.
“Such cooperation is essential to ensuring that immigration laws are implemented effectively while safeguarding the dignity and fundamental rights of every individual throughout the process”.
Mr Chabane added that the committee was particularly encouraged by the efficiency with which large numbers of people had been processed within a relatively short period.
“Our oversight responsibility is to satisfy ourselves that the systems in place are lawful, efficient, humane and capable of responding to operational demands,” he said.
“The information presented to the committee and the observations made on site indicate significant progress in this regard.
“We will, however, continue to monitor the implementation of these processes to ensure that they remain compliant with the Constitution, applicable legislation and South Africa’s international obligations.”
He said the committee appreciated the Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal provincial governments and their respective municipalities in the manner they carried and availed resources to complement the work of the national government.
Mr Chabane said they remain concerned about the underfunding of the Border Management Authority (BMA) , as reiterated during the BMA’s briefing.
He said the committee, together with sister committees in the security cluster, will await a comprehensive report from the IMC once the process has been finalised.
The committee also carried out an oversight visit at the Beitbridge Port of Entry where they assessed border management operations and the implementation of repatriation processes at one of the country’s busiest ports of entry.
