South Africa closes Musina migrant processing centre

South Africa has decommissioned the Musina Temporary Processing Centre for Repatriation in Limpopo province after processing 48,948 foreign nationals since its establishment on June 26. The facility, located near the Beitbridge border post, was used to manage migration pressure and process undocumented migrants.

Data from the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration indicates that 95.5% of those processed—46,744 individuals—had entered the country through unofficial border crossings. The largest group of processed individuals were Malawian nationals, followed by Zimbabweans and Mozambicans.

The decision to close the centre was driven by a decline in arrivals and the high costs of maintaining temporary infrastructure, including rented equipment, security, and fuel. The Malawian government also withdrew repatriation support, contributing to the decision.

While the facility is being dismantled, the South African government stated that deportation and repatriation operations will continue under national immigration laws and international obligations. Undocumented migrants will not be automatically transferred to the Lindela Repatriation Centre; instead, their disposition will be determined based on individual legal requirements and operational capacity.