As thousands of foreign nationals leave South Africa amid anti-immigration protests, a group of South Africans has been deported from Ireland.

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The Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB), part of the national police (An Garda Síochána) in Ireland, confirmed that 42 South Africans were deported last Thursday, following an order by the Minister of Justice.

The group consisted of 27 adults (including nine men and 18 women) and 15 children.

“The juveniles removed were all part of family groups,” said the Garda National Immigration Bureau in a statement.

The group is said to have been in the country illegally.

They boarded a charter flight from Dublin and arrived in Johannesburg in the early hours of Friday morning. The deportation is said to have cost €735,000 (roughly R13.8 million).

A further deportation flight left Dublin yesterday and landed safely this morning in Johannesburg, South Africa. There were 42 South African people on board who had received but not complied with Deportation Orders.

— Jim O’Callaghan TD (@OCallaghanJim) June 19, 2026

South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs has confirmed the arrival of the deportees, with spokesperson Thulani Mavuso advising that “we are talking to the Irish government”. Mavuso did not go into further detail. 

Their deportation forms part of a larger-scale immigration enforcement programme in Ireland and is the fourth such deportation since the start of 2026. Ireland’s Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration said 130 people were deported in the previous operations. Citizens in the European Union were also deported “on grounds of criminality”, said the Irish authority.  

“In 2025, 4,700 deportation orders were signed, an increase of 96% compared to 2024. To date this year 2,108 deportation orders have been signed.”  

Forty-two South African nationals, including 15 children, have been deported from Ireland on the latest Government charter flight.

More than 170 people have been removed from the country so far this year.

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— Virgin Media News (@VirginMediaNews) June 19, 2026

Among the South Africans recently deported, the GNIB noted that two had been convicted of offences in the country.  

“An Garda Síochána continues to work closely with the Department of Justice in implementing immigration policy and the Irish Prison Service in the implementation of these operations.” 

Irish Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan said applying the law is necessary to ensure public confidence and added that the majority of South Africans living in Ireland were there legally.  

“The vast majority of South African nationals are legally resident in the State and positively contribute to society,” said O’Callaghan in a statement.  

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Migration Colm Brophy stressed that migrants must enter the country legally.  

“It is necessary to recognise that Ireland welcomes migrants as they play an important role in our economic, social, and community life. However, they must enter through the various legal pathways available and abide by the laws of the State,” said Brophy.  

Irish authorities said further charter deportation operations would be conducted throughout 2026. 

A man believed to be in his 40s was safely rescued after an apparent suicide attempt along an overpass bridge in Brackenfell during the early hours of Saturday morning. 

According to private security company Titanium Securitas, its Crime Prevention Unit received information at approximately 02:31 that the man intended to take his own life by jumping from the overpass on Okavango Road. 

“Without hesitation, three Titanium Crime Prevention Unit vehicles responded to the scene,” read the company’s statement on social media.  

By the time the security guards arrived, members of the public who had witnessed had already intervened and successfully managed to persuade the man to move to a safer position, the company said.  

Members of the security company then spoke with the man, and in their conversation, the man noted that he was “heartsore”. He also admitted to using drugs, but weeks prior to the incident. This moment was captured in a minute-long video that Titanium Securitas shared on Facebook.  

Titanium Securitas praised the actions of the members of the public who stopped to help and remained with the man until emergency assistance arrived. 

“Their willingness to intervene and provide support made a significant difference during a critical moment,” the company said. 

The DA is offering a R50,000 reward that could lead to the arrest of the murderer of DA ward candidate and community activist, Sinovuyo Dyokwe, who was gunned down on her way home on Saturday evening.

Dyokwe had spent the day helping out at a voter registration venue. Police say a lone gunman approached her on foot on Mnandi Street at around 18:00 and shot her.

Chairperson of the DA’s Cape Metro Region, JP Smith, says there are some worrying indications that Dyokwe may have been targeted.

“Immediately, various people came forward with information around things that they were aware of that they thought may have relevance and may have led to this. I think the most disturbing is the extortion case she made in February. She approached me with information that she had been threatened in relation to an extortion matter where a group of men had demanded protection money from her. We arranged for her to go and open a case with the South African police at Milnerton SAPS.”

Smith says extortion remains a huge problem in Du Noon.

He has also called on the National Government to obtain the necessary crime intelligence and determine whether there is an imminent risk of political violence and intimidation that will mar the freedom, fairness, and safety of the upcoming local government elections.

Smith says the City’s investigators are working closely with the SAPS, and they have been speaking to several witnesses.

“We have informed the police that the DA is offering a R50,000 reward for information, if that should help get informants to come forward.”

DA Leader Geordin Hill-Lewis on Sunday visited Dyokwe’s family to pay his respects. He says Dyokwe recently helped grow the DA to its best-ever by-election results in Du Noon.

Hill-Lewis says the party cannot rule out political motives for her murder.

“It would be deeply worrying if the DA’s growing presence and support in townships across South Africa is met with intimidation and violence. That has no place in a democratic South Africa. I urge the police to act swiftly to find those who did this.”

The DA has condemned the murder of its Du Noon Ward 104 by-election candidate and community activist, Sinovuyo Dyokwe, who was gunned down on her way home on Saturday evening.

Dyokwe had spent the day helping out at a voter registration venue.

Police say a lone gunman approached her on foot on Mnandi Street at around 18:00 and shot her.

Brigadier Novela Potelwa said provincial serious violent crime detectives were still processing the scene on Sunday morning, and no arrests have been made yet.

In a statement, the DA Cape Town Metro region expressed its deepest condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Dyokwe.

Constituency Head Nicholas Gotsell said he would be engaging with the SAPS to ascertain the facts of the case.

“Known for her bright smile and bubbly personality, Sinovuyo was instrumental in growing the DA voter base in Dunoon and cemented herself as a reliable and effective community activist.”

Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has expressed his shock.

“Sino was an energetic activist and helped the DA to its best ever growth result in a recent by-election, where she was our candidate. Residents in the community loved Sino, and she could always be found walking the streets of Dunoon helping improve services. I pray the police find those responsible for her death quickly.”

The MEC for Community Safety and Police Oversight, Anroux Marais, says there has been speculation that the murder may be linked to Dyokwe’s political activities or to her outspoken stance on crime and criminality in the area.

“At this stage, it would be irresponsible to speculate on the motive. However, all possible motives must be thoroughly investigated. Whether this murder was politically motivated, linked to her community activism, her anti-crime advocacy, or any other criminal motive, those responsible must be identified, arrested, and successfully prosecuted.”

Marais has called on the South African Police Service to dedicate every available resource to the investigation.

The DA has arranged counselling for Dyokwe’s family, friends and colleagues.