Just in time for the local government elections, a DA minister has demonstrated patriotic fighting spirit. His department has confirmed it has written to the governments of Malawi, Nigeria and Ethiopia requesting that they reimburse the repatriation costs for their citizens in South Africa. It is not clear whether Zimbabwe, whose citizens were probably the bulk of the nearly 83 000 foreigners processed at “repatriation centres” in South Africa, will be sent similar bills. Just in time for the local government elections, a DA minister has demonstrated patriotic fighting spirit. Timely political marketing.