DURBAN, KWAZULU-NATAL — Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has confirmed that at least 5,000 Malawian immigrants have been successfully repatriated, with another 2,000 individuals scheduled to depart tonight. The announcement was made during a visit to a newly established processing site in Durban, where the minister led a government delegation to oversee the orderly repatriation of undocumented foreign nationals.
Accompanied by Deputy Minister Thandi Moraka, Kubayi led a delegation of officials to the temporary repatriation center to monitor the process firsthand. The primary objective of the visit was to ensure that the procedures are running smoothly, efficiently, and in an orderly fashion. The new facility, set up by the eThekwini Municipality, serves as a second processing site designed to expedite the boarding of buses destined for Malawi. Initially, around 13,000 people had gathered at the Sherwood Hall facility seeking assistance, and the numbers continued to grow as buses arrived with immigrants from Pietermaritzburg and Newcastle.
The newly established site is highly spacious and features marquee tents dedicated to various processing stages. Undocumented Malawian nationals who have volunteered to return home are required to undergo fingerprinting to verify their identities and ensure they are not wanted for any criminal activities. Following this, they are processed by the Department of Home Affairs and the Malawi High Commission. The High Commissioner was present at the site to facilitate the final stages before the immigrants board the buses.
To support the humanitarian needs of those waiting, a medical center has been set up on-site. Volunteers, including representatives from the Red Cross, are providing medical assistance. Additionally, community volunteers are distributing meals to the immigrants. Kubayi highlighted this effort as a strong example of the partnership between the government, civil society, and local communities in managing the situation.
Addressing the numbers, Kubayi clarified that 5,000 Malawians have been repatriated since the process began at the Sherwood Hall facility. She corrected earlier figures provided by the mayor, which stated 4,000, confirming that with the 2,000 expected to depart tonight, the total will reach 7,000. The initial batches of buses prioritized women and mothers with children, which is why the current queues at the new site consist predominantly of men.
A significant challenge currently being addressed is the practice of transporting immigrants to the temporary site only to abandon them. Kubayi strongly appealed to employers and individuals who have the means to transport foreign nationals to rather work directly with the government. She urged them to contact the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) or the Department of Home Affairs to obtain cross-border permits if they have individuals in a kombi or a bus. This would allow them to transport the individuals directly to their destinations or the border, rather than dropping them off in the streets or at the temporary center, which she described as inhumane.
When questioned about the initially slow pace of the repatriations, Kubayi explained that early delays were caused by challenges in securing enough buses. The government subsequently shifted to utilizing the court system, working with the judiciary to set up bail courts. While this legal process also took time, those issues have now been resolved, allowing the government to return to direct repatriations and significantly increase the speed of the operation.
With the new Durban Drive-In site fully operational, the previous processing center at Sherwood Hall is being shut down. Approximately 800 individuals remaining at Sherwood are being transported to the new facility. Barbed wire is being erected around the Sherwood Hall premises to deter anyone from gathering there, as all assistance and processing are now centralized at the new site.
The 2,000 Malawian immigrants scheduled to depart tonight will begin a three-day journey back to Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi. The government continues to work towards its targets, ensuring that the repatriation process remains efficient and humane for all involved.
