KEMPTON PARK – Sixty-six Nigerian nationals approved for South Africa’s voluntary repatriation programme will first have to cancel their asylum status before they are allowed to leave the country. The Department of Home Affairs raised concerns after it was found that some applicants who were cleared for departure already held approved asylum status, prompting questions about the legitimacy of certain applications.
Out of 568 Nigerians cleared for repatriation, 268 have already left South Africa as part of a voluntary return programme supported by the Nigerian government. Although around 1,000 people initially signed up, only 568 were approved for departure, with others rejected or not meeting requirements. Those with asylum status will only be allowed to leave on the next scheduled flight on 15 June after formally cancelling their protection status.
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