The Irish Government has deported 42 South African nationals found to be living illegally in the country, in a charter operation that cost an initial €735,000.
The deportation exercise, carried out by the Garda National Immigration Bureau, involved 27 adults and 15 children who were travelling as part of family groups.
Of the 42 deportees, the Irish authorities disclosed that two had criminal convictions in Ireland before deportation to South Africa.
The group was flown out of Dublin on a specially chartered aircraft and arrived in South Africa yesterday, after long hours of air travel.
According to Irish officials, the deportation orders were issued after the individuals were found to be residing unlawfully in the country and failed to take advantage of opportunities for voluntary return.
The operation, estimated at €17,500 per deportee, represents Ireland’s latest effort to tighten enforcement of its immigration laws amid growing public scrutiny of migration policies across Europe.
A spokesperson for the Irish authorities said law enforcement agencies worked closely with the Department of Justice and the Irish Prison Service to execute the removals.
“Gardaí continue to work closely with the Department of Justice in implementing immigration policy and the Irish Prison Service in the implementation of these operations,” the spokesperson said.
Ireland’s Minister for Justice, Jim O’Callaghan, defended the deportations, insisting that immigration laws must be enforced to maintain public confidence in the system.
“Our immigration system must be rules-based and robust,” O’Callaghan said.
“The enforcement aspects of our laws, including deportation orders, are an essential requirement for the system to work effectively and to ensure there is public confidence in the application of our legislation in this area.”
The minister noted that while the vast majority of South Africans residing in Ireland do so legally, authorities would continue to act against those who breach immigration regulations.
South Africa is classified by Ireland as a safe country of origin, although South African citizens retain the right to apply for asylum if they can provide evidence that they face persecution or danger at home.
The deportation marked Ireland’s fourth charter deportation flight of 2026, with earlier operations removing 130 people from the country, including 67 European Union citizens deported on criminality grounds.
In 2025, Irish authorities conducted six charter deportation operations that resulted in the removal of 205 individuals, including 182 people subject to deportation orders and 23 EU nationals.
The deportation of South African citizens comes at a sensitive time for Pretoria, as the country grapples with growing public debate over migration and border control.
South Africa, Africa’s most industrialised economy, has in recent months witnessed renewed campaigns by anti-illegal migration groups calling for undocumented foreign nationals to leave the country.
Although the South African government has not endorsed any deadline for departures, the campaigns have heightened anxiety among migrant communities.
The country remains a major destination for migrants from across the continent, attracting people from Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Nigeria, Ghana and the Democratic Republic of Congo in search of economic opportunities.
However, rising unemployment and mounting pressure on public services have fuelled tensions in some communities, with critics arguing that undocumented migration places additional strain on already stretched resources.
Official figures show South Africa’s unemployment rate stood at 32.7 per cent in the first quarter of 2026, one of the highest globally.
The country has also experienced recurring outbreaks of xenophobic violence over the years, with foreign nationals, informal traders and migrant-owned businesses frequently targeted during periods of social and economic unrest.