The Government of South Africa has announced plans to deport more than 24,000 foreign nationals currently serving sentences in the country’s prisons, sending them back to their countries of origin.
Authorities revealed that discussions are ongoing with relevant institutions to establish a legal framework that will enable the transfer of prisoners to their home countries.
The initiative is also under review within the Southern African Development Community (SADC), where member states are considering a multilateral agreement on prisoner exchanges. Once ratified, the deal would take effect once each member country enacts the necessary legislation.
Currently, more than 24,000 foreign nationals are incarcerated in South African prisons. The government spends a significant amount on their upkeep, with daily costs estimated at 11.1 million rand (approximately 90.8 billion Rwandan francs) across the prison system.
Author: Justinmind HARERIMANA
