Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber has confirmed that more than 7,000 Malawian nationals have been successfully repatriated or deported from South Africa via Durban. The mass movement of individuals follows a complex, multi-agency operation aimed at processing foreign nationals, balancing immigration enforcement with logistical requirements.
Operational Coordination And Ongoing Processing
The repatriation effort is the result of a collaborative initiative involving the Department of Home Affairs, the South African Police Service (SAPS), the City of eThekwini, the Malawian High Commission, and various local non-governmental organisations. Speaking on the progress of the initiative, Minister Schreiber noted that the operation is entering a more efficient phase after initial challenges.
From a logistical point of view, we are starting to hit our stride on a very difficult operation.
Despite the number of individuals already moved, the Department of Home Affairs is managing a remaining group of approximately 8,000 Malawian nationals. These individuals are currently housed at a temporary repatriation site at Durban’s Old Drive-In, where they await processing and the documentation necessary for their return.
Context Of The Repatriation
The current operation comes against a backdrop of heightened social tension, including anti-immigrant campaigns and protests that have previously resulted in widespread job losses, evictions, and safety concerns for foreign nationals across the country. In response to these conditions, many Malawians have opted for voluntary repatriation while others have been subject to enforcement actions.
The process faces significant administrative hurdles, as many of the affected individuals are undocumented and require the Malawian High Commission to issue emergency group travel documents. Minister Schreiber emphasised that the government maintains a rigorous screening process to ensure legal order is preserved during the exit of these individuals.
We can’t allow people to just get a blank cheque and evade justice.
The Department is conducting biometric screening throughout the operation to verify that no individuals with pending criminal cases in South Africa successfully evade legal proceedings by departing the country. Further updates on the progress of the repatriation from the Durban site are expected as authorities finalise the status of the remaining group.