Liberia: 29 Liberians Seek Urgent Repatriation From South Africa

What the report says

Twenty-nine Liberians in South Africa have formally asked to return home voluntarily, according to the Liberian Observer report distributed by AllAfrica on Sept. 10, 2026. The request has prompted pressure on Liberia’s government to speed up repatriation arrangements, with concerns raised about the group’s safety, immigration status and vulnerability while they remain in South Africa.

The report says the appeal is being pushed by a group calling itself the Concerned Chiefs of Staff of the House of Representatives, which wants Liberia’s National Legislature to issue a joint communique or resolution urging the Executive Branch to act quickly. The group said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission have already begun planning for the return of the 29 people, but that the process is moving too slowly.

According to the ministry, 263 Liberians are recorded as living in South Africa, and many of the 29 who want to return are said to be undocumented. The Liberian Embassy in Pretoria has reportedly processed Emergency Travel Certificates and has been working with South African authorities to help arrange safe, orderly departures. The government has also urged affected Liberians to stay calm and keep in touch with the embassy.

The issue comes as South Africa continues to tighten immigration enforcement and border controls. The Liberian advocacy group says a coordinated response involving lawmakers, the foreign ministry, the LRRRC and the embassy is needed to ensure the return is voluntary, dignified and completed without further delay.