A social anthropologist and research consultant specialising in migration, health, and human rights in Southern Africa, Dr Rebecca Walker, has warned that the recent mass repatriations and deportations in South Africa, has worsened the country's socioeconomic situation. The South African government has spent just over eighteen million U.S dollars on detaining and deporting undocumented foreign nationals during the June 30 anti- immigration protests in South Africa. Dr Walker says this money could have rather been directed at fixing systemic domestic challenges to curb poverty and the high unemployment rate. The South African government has formally asked Nigeria, Malawi, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique to reimburse part of the costs.Now to discuss this further we speak to Dr Rebecca Walker, Research Associate at the African Centre for Migration and society at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa.

<p>A social anthropologist and research consultant specialising in migration, health, and human rights in Southern Africa, Dr Rebecca Walker, has warned that the recent mass repatriations and deportations in South Africa, has worsened the country's socioeconomic situation. The South African government has spent just over eighteen million U.S dollars on detaining and deporting undocumented foreign nationals during the June 30 anti- immigration protests in South Africa. Dr Walker says this money could have rather been directed at fixing systemic domestic challenges to curb poverty and the high unemployment rate. The South African government has formally asked Nigeria, Malawi, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique to reimburse part of the costs.Now to discuss this further we speak to Dr Rebecca Walker, Research Associate at the African Centre for Migration and society at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa.</p>