Despite more than 7,000 Malawian nationals already being accommodated at Durban’s Old Drive-In repatriation site, more than 2,000 additional people and counting arrived late on Sunday night and throughout Monday morning from various parts of KwaZulu-Natal, including northern areas of the province, placing further strain on an already massive humanitarian and logistical operation.
The temporary repatriation centre was established after thousands of Malawian nationals who had gathered at a community hall in Sherwood were relocated to the larger North Beach Drive-In site on Sunday evening.
Speaking during a media briefing on Monday, Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber described the repatriation effort as one of the largest currently underway in the country.
“Approximately 7,000 people have either already been deported or repatriated, while an estimated 8,000 remain in need of processing. Since moving to this site, from a logistical point of view, we are starting to hit our stride on a very difficult operation,” said Schreiber.
Schreiber said the vast majority of those gathered in Durban are undocumented and cannot simply be transported across the border without first being identified and processed.
“Every individual must be verified. If they are found to be in the country illegally, they must be declared undesirable for a period of five years so that they cannot simply return immediately,” he explained.
He said the repatriation process has been complicated by the fact that most of the migrants do not possess valid passports.
“The Malawian authorities are working around the clock to issue group passports because the vast majority of the people here have no documentation,” said Schreiber.
The minister added that the South African Police Service was conducting criminal screening checks before individuals are repatriated.
“We have already arrested one individual who is wanted for the rape of a minor. We cannot allow people to use this process as a blank cheque to evade justice,” he said.
While thousands have already been relocated from Sherwood, new arrivals continue to stream into the site from areas including Tongaat, Stanger, Richards Bay and other northern parts of KwaZulu-Natal.
Many arrived expecting immediate accommodation but were forced to wait outside after the site reached capacity.
Robert Dawood, who travelled from Tongaat, said his employer had advised him to leave South Africa due to growing tensions.
“My employer told me it would be safer for me to return home. When I arrived here, I was told there was no space and I would have to wait,” he said.
Mariam Hassan said she spent the night outside the facility with her five-year-old daughter after arriving on Sunday afternoon.
“They told us there was no space for us inside. We had no choice but to remain outside and wait,” she said.
Despite the challenges, many of those who managed to enter the facility said conditions were significantly better than at the previous Sherwood site.
“We are relieved because here we can at least use proper toilets and have a place to wash,” said one migrant.
Cyril Mngcwabe, Home Affairs manager for KwaZulu-Natal, acknowledged the pressure being placed on officials as more people continue arriving daily.
“The situation is a bottomless pit,” said Mngcwabe. “The people waiting outside will eventually be accommodated, but they will have to be patient while we process those already inside.”
Schreiber stressed that the success of the operation depends on cooperation between multiple stakeholders.
“The City of eThekwini is providing facilities, the provincial government is providing health services, SAPS is handling policing and law enforcement, while NGOs and local businesses have stepped in to provide food, water and other essentials,” he said.
“It must be done in a humane way that respects the rights and dignity of everyone who is here.”
The influx follows months of uncertainty for many Malawian nationals living in South Africa, with some reporting job losses, evictions and fears for their safety amid growing anti-immigrant sentiment. As buses continue arriving at the site carrying people from across the province, officials say the number requiring assistance is expected to grow further in the coming days.
