DURBAN, KWAZULU-NATAL — A new immigrant campsite has rapidly emerged outside Shallcross Stadium in Chatsworth, Durban, as foreign nationals seek repatriation and flee escalating intimidation. This development comes just as the eThekwini Municipality continues its efforts to clear a previous encampment at the Durban drive-in.
The new gathering of primarily Zimbabwean nationals in the south of Durban follows the recent repatriation of thousands of Malawian nationals. While the eThekwini Municipality had been working to clear the drive-in site—with the Mayor of eThekwini expressing a strong desire to shut down and clean up the encampments in preparation for the upcoming Durban July, a major tourism drawcard—the situation remains fluid. Although the drive-in site was cleared earlier in the day, reports indicate that over 500 Malawian nationals had returned to the area by the afternoon. Many others have been relocated to a facility in Limpopo.
Meanwhile, the new camp outside Shallcross Stadium began forming on Monday. Initially, only about 20 people were present at midday. The numbers quickly swelled to over 120 by the afternoon, reaching between 200 and 300 by evening, with buses continuing to arrive and drop off passengers at a rapid pace.
Mr. Richards, a leader of a 100-strong local men’s civic movement in the ward, coordinated a response on the ground alongside the South African Police Service (SAPS), Metro Police, the local Community Police Forum (CPF), and the city council. He clarified that the gathering is not a mob, but rather a group of terrified individuals who were informed that the stadium was a designated pickup or gathering site for repatriation to their home countries.
According to Mr. Richards, many of the immigrants are fleeing severe xenophobic intimidation. He shared the account of a woman from Nazareth who traveled to the site via Uber, leaving her belongings behind. She was ordered to leave her home immediately, and her furniture was removed from her lounge while she was still standing inside. In another incident, a man who had resided in a local area since 2009 was told by a neighbor of 20 years to vacate the premises or be killed that night.
Mr. Richards noted that the immigrants are deeply shocked that fellow Africans are turning on one another, acknowledging that while illegal immigration presents challenges, the violent treatment of individuals is entirely unacceptable.
Despite the tensions, the local community has responded with significant humanitarian support. Residents have been on the ground around the clock, providing food and water, including a late-night delivery at 2:00 a.m. on Saturday. Local WhatsApp groups have been filled with messages of prayer, asking for protection, guidance, and mercy so the immigrants can return home safely. Community members also drew parallels to the apartheid era, recalling how African neighbors historically harbored South African freedom fighters, and questioned why such hostility is occurring today.
As night falls, the conditions at the Shallcross Stadium camp remain bleak. The immigrants are enduring an extremely cold evening without tents or ablution facilities. While some food has been provided, there are urgent calls for more assistance on the ground as vehicles continue to drop off more arrivals.
