Eswatini Paid R90 Million to Receive Unwanted US Deportees

• The Eswatini government has confirmed that it received millions of dollars from the US to accept its deportees
• The deal between Donald Trump's administration and the Monarchy has come under heavy criticism for potential human rights violations as well as safety concerns for citizens
• Eswatini’s Finance Minister, Neal Rijkenberg, confirmed the receipt of funds in Parliament following questions about the agreement shrouded in secrecy

Eswatini confirms receipt of funds for US deportees

Eswatini officials announced to their Parliament on Tuesday, 18 November 2025, that they had received $5.1 million (approximately R90 million) from the US government as part of a secret deal to accept unwanted deportees.

According to Reuters, Finance Minister Neal Rijkenberg stated to Parliament that the ministry was kept in the dark throughout the process, and it only became aware of the funds after they were deposited into the country's National Disaster Management Agency.

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However, Human Rights Watch indicated that they had seen a copy of the agreement back in September 2025, which detailed that the US would provide $5.1 million to "build Eswatini's border and migration management capacity." In exchange, Eswatini would accept 160 deportees from the US.

The South African public expressed strong concerns about the potential dangers posed by the deportees

Although Eswatini’s acting spokesperson, Thabile Mdluli, attempted to reassure the public about safety by stating that the deportees were being securely accommodated, many South Africans are worried that the deportees could cross the country's porous borders.

The US Department of Homeland Security has referred to the deportees as "criminal illegal aliens," with criminal records that include convictions for murder and sexual assault, further fuelling public panic in South Africa.

Here are some reactions from the South African public

@OriginalKhutso5 said:

South Africa needs to become one country with Eswatini, Lesotho, Botswana and Namibia. South Africa would never accept prisoners from another country now you have Eswatini compromising us with prisoners from USA and Lesotho with Starlink of Elon Musk.

@mickeydedrinker commented:

The deportees will slip to South Africa and orchestrate a coup. They are not just deportees, they are CIA and Mossad agents who are being sent by USA and Israel to infiltrate our country.

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@IamEriOluwa agreed:

If the money is well invested, and the deportees well managed, the whole process will be a good investment. God bless Eswatini.

@JLUZZINHO stated:

We all know all those criminals are preparing to come to South Africa.

@LaPolymath said:

He takes R10 billion to host dangerous criminals, while the region’s safety is ignored. Everyone knows they won’t stay in Eswatini, South Africa will feel the consequences. This is reckless and shows how little leaders value the lives of ordinary people.

Briefly News' previous reports on the US-Eswatini deportees agreement

Briefly News previously reported on the controversial US-Eswatini agreement to transfer deportees. It was confirmed that 11 convicted criminals arrived in Eswatini in October, sparking safety fears among South Africans. Similar deals have been made with other African nations, including Rwanda, South Sudan, Ghana, and Uganda. Eswatini has successfully repatriated one deportee to Jamaica.

Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.

Source: Briefly News