US Deported Criminals Seen Shopping Freely in Eswatini, South Africans Raise Border Concerns
- Convicted rapists, murderers and robbers sent to Eswatini under a United States deal were photographed shopping
- The Donald Trump administration relocated at least 29 criminal third-country nationals to Eswatini in 2025
- South Africans raised alarm online, questioning whether the detainees could easily cross into SA given its porous border with Eswatini
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Source: Twitter
Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online
ESWATINI — Serious criminals deported to Eswatini by the United States government have been photographed moving freely through the industrial town of Matsapha, in the same area where the facility detaining them is located.
The images, credited to the Eswatini Observer, were shared on X by journalist Sihle Mavuso on Sunday, 9 August 2026. The men were seen shopping in the town, raising immediate questions about the security conditions of their confinement.
The US and Eswatini deportation agreement
Under a deal struck in 2025 between the Trump administration and the Kingdom of Eswatini, the United States transferred at least 29 third-country nationals to the small southern African kingdom for detention.
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The individuals were convicted of serious offences including rape, robbery and murder, and their countries of origin had refused to accept their repatriation. In August 2025, the country accepted five violent criminals from the US, which originally sparked safety concerns in South Africa.
There were also claims that Uganda would be accepting deportees in August, but the government denied that a deal had been agreed with the US.
The US government agreed to pay Eswatini $5.1 million to accommodate up to 160 such deportees, making the arrangement a paid detention outsourcing agreement rather than a standard extradition or repatriation process.
South Africans left unsettled
The photographs drew a sharp reaction from South Africans, with many expressing concerns that the men would cross the border into the country.
@Diamond_Blackie wrote:
"Wouldn't be shocked to see them doing their next shopping at Mall of Africa after just walking through the borderless border. Mswati did us all dirty to just have spare change for his wives to go shopping overseas."
@PhiwoMnyandu observed:
"They have de facto been 'dumped' in South Africa, if one thinks about it."
@donald34521 added:
"People who preach open borders must tell us what happens in this situation."
@ts_thandi6189 was blunt:
"They better not come into South Africa."
@Native_Of_SA directed their concern at the authorities:
"I wonder if our government and the SANDF are ready for what is coming.
@BhutAndy wrote:
"This was just a way of getting them into South Africa because why would they live in Swaziland?"
Eswatini accepts 11 more violent criminals
Briefly News reported that the Kingdom of Eswatini announced that it would accept more convicted criminals from the US in October 2025.
The acting spokesperson for the government stated that the immigrants pose no security threat to the nation or neighbouring countries,
South Africans expressed doubts online, with many questioning King Mswati III's decision to receive more criminals.
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Source: Briefly News
