Finance Minister Neal Rijkenberg told parliament on Monday that the payment was made for US deportees, though the ministry had not been consulted during the process. “We were told it was for the US deportees after we enquired,” he said.
According to Human Rights Watch, an agreement allowed Eswatini to accept up to 160 deportees from the US, with the $5.1m intended to help build the country’s border and migration management capacity. So far, Eswatini has received two groups: five in July and ten in October, with one deportee since repatriated to Jamaica.
Acting government spokeswoman Thabile Mdluli told media that ongoing efforts aim to repatriate the remaining deportees to their countries of origin. “Eventually, they will all be repatriated,” she said.
Rijkenberg added that the funds were deposited into Eswatini’s National Disaster Management Agency account but have not yet been allocated for use and must still be regularised by the government. Mdluli stressed that the government has been transparent about the US covering welfare, repatriation, and temporary stay costs for the deportees.
Legal and civil society groups in Eswatini have challenged the deal in court, questioning its legality. The government argues it had the authority to make the arrangement. Mdluli said any future acceptance of deportees would depend on discussions with the US and available capacity.
Eswatini’s prison authorities say the deportees are being securely housed and pose no public threat. The US has described some of the deportees from Jamaica, Cuba, Laos, Vietnam, and Yemen as “depraved monsters”.
The arrangement has also raised concerns in neighbouring South Africa over the risk of deportees crossing its porous border.
Eswatini, formerly Swaziland, is a small, landlocked country bordered by South Africa and Mozambique and has been ruled by King Mswati III since 1986.