Pretoria Fuming as Eswatini Becomes a Dumping Ground for Trump's Violent Migrants.

Pretoria Fuming as Eswatini Becomes a Dumping Ground for Trump's Violent Migrants.

Pretoria / Mbabane – July 17, 2025
The South African government is reportedly monitoring the recent deportation of violent offenders by the United States to neighbouring Eswatini, amid growing public and security-sector concern that the country’s porous borders could be exploited by the deportees to enter South Africa unlawfully.

The five individuals, described by U.S. authorities as convicted criminals, were deported under former President Donald Trump’s reinstated “third-country deportation” policy, which allows the U.S. to transfer unwanted migrants to any willing host country  in this case, the Kingdom of Eswatini.

🚨 Pretoria on Alert

While the South African government has not officially condemned the deportations, high-ranking security sources confirm that Pretoria is deeply uneasy about the decision.

“These individuals are not just migrants they’re people with criminal convictions. And they’ve been placed in a country less than 200km from our border with virtually no buffer,” a senior intelligence official told NewsWire Africa on condition of anonymity.

South Africa’s border with Eswatini, while officially managed, is notoriously porous particularly across rural areas in Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal. Cross-border movements, both legal and undocumented, are daily occurrences, making the threat of spillover crime or infiltration a real possibility.

⚖️ Diplomatic Dilemma

The deportation deal appears to have been arranged solely between the U.S. and Eswatini, with no consultation or involvement of South Africa. Sources within DIRCO (Department of International Relations and Cooperation) expressed concern over the lack of transparency.

“If the United States is going to dump high-risk individuals on our doorstep, we expect to be briefed at the very least,” a DIRCO official said.

South African officials are also reportedly seeking clarification from the Eswatini government about the conditions of detention, length of stay, and plans for relocation or repatriation of the five individuals.

🛡️ Border Security & Public Concern

Public safety advocates have called for tightened border enforcement between Eswatini and South Africa.

“This is a national security issue,” said Sipho Mkhize, a community leader from Nkomazi, Mpumalanga. “We already deal with cross-border smuggling, human trafficking, and illegal migration. Now we might be facing violent foreign criminals roaming the bush between borders?”

Eswatini’s limited correctional infrastructure and history of prison breaks and underfunded law enforcement add to the anxiety.

🌍 Regional Impact

This development could strain regional relations, particularly in the context of SADC’s (Southern African Development Community) commitment to regional security cooperation. South Africa has long played a stabilizing role in the region, and Pretoria officials fear being blindsided again if similar deportations continue without coordination.

🔍 At a Glance

🧠 Editorial Note

While there is no confirmed escape or incursion yet, the incident highlights a larger vulnerability: South Africa's exposure to international decisions made without regional coordination, especially those with direct security consequences.