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Thousands of Malawian women covered their children’s ears as stun grenades were deployed to control hundreds of protesters at the Sherwood Hall encampment in Durban on Wednesday.
The men ― Malawian nationals ― were voicing frustration and anger over what they believed was the impending bussing of their fellow nationals to the Lindela Repatriaton Centre in Gauteng.
The men armed with sticks, tree branches and stones turned on home affairs officials. Police, deployed to maintain order at the encampment, tried to control the crowd, eventually using stun grenades and rubber bullets as they came under attack.
However, it turned out after the upheaval, home affairs officials were preparing to take the foreigners to court as part of the South African government’s deportation programme.
Last Sunday, on the eve of the MK Party and March and March anti-immigrant protest in central Durban, fear was running high in informal settlements, and about 75 people moved to the small hall in the heart of the residential suburb for protection.
They were fleeing threats of violence, arrest and abuse by South Africans intent on driving illegal immigrants out of the country by a June 30 deadline.
By Sunday the number had risen to about 10,000 as national sentiment against illegal immigrants grew, forcing the departments of home affairs, justice and police, as well as municipal officials, to liaise with the Malawian embassy to repatriate the migrants.
Justice & constitutional development minister Mmamoloko Kubayi — who led an inter-ministerial delegation to the site on Thursday — said government had no intention of establishing refugee camps.
Malawian government officials arrived at the site on Friday and started the repatriation process, with several buses departing since Saturday.
On Tuesday, the repatriation process was put on hold as numbers rose significantly and the Malawian government urged donors to contribute towards costs for the buses.
Controversial Malawian church leader Shepherd Bushiri, whose extradition order to South Africa to face money laundering and fraud was denied, pledged 10 buses to get his fellow citizens home.
There was further chaos on Tuesday when locals ― said to be delegates from a Youth Day event linked to an anti-immigrant organisation ― clashed with the foreigners and police had to intervene.
Foreigners told the Sunday Times they were “frustrated” with their situation at the encampment.
“We have been here for days without a shower and proper toilet facilities. There are queues all the time for everything. Yesterday the March and March people came to the site and we got angry.
“First they told us to leave our homes, which we did. Then they come here and cause more trouble,” said one man who asked not to be named.
Another said Wednesday’s clash with police came from not being informed about what was going on with their repatriation.
“We were told our government was going to take us home. Then some men and women went home and then we heard that process is on hold. Later we see some men get put on buses and we didn’t know where they were being taken. We were upset. We just want to go home. Life here is not easy,” said Aaron Mpondo.
eThekwini mayor Cyril Xaba, who visited the site on Tuesday and Wednesday ― after the clash between Malawians and police ― confirmed the municipality in conjunction with the departments of home affairs, justice and constitutional development and police were implementing critical interventions over the next 72 hours to fast-track the processing of Malawians at the encampment over the next three days.
A proposal to house the migrants at Tills Crescent, a park and recreational facility, was opposed by residents and the community, and the second suggestion of the Durban Drive-In was approved.
This he said was to stabilise the situation, reduce humanitarian and public health risks, support the ongoing processing of migrants and expedite deportations.
“Following the rapid increase in the number of people at this site, the municipality has activated the old drive-in site to alleviate pressure on the Sherwood site, improve conditions and enhance the coordinated management of affected individuals.”
He said the second site is a staging area intended to serve as an overflow site, reducing overcrowding at Sherwood and fast-track deportation process.
The municipality has deployed 10 buses, four of which will operate continuously between Sherwood, the drive-in site, and the magistrate’s court to support processing and deportation activities.
He said additional security will be deployed to both sites and police will ensure order and assist with crowd management.
Police officers will also assist in verifying whether individuals scheduled for deportation have any pending criminal cases.
Xaba said the municipality has increased the number of ablution facilities and expanded waste management capacity at both sites.
Water tankers have been deployed and the health department will provide medical services including ambulances and mobile clinics.
The two sites will continue to support daily processing, verification and deportation operations.
“As stakeholders, we have agreed that to expedite the process we must move beyond voluntary repatriation and implement formal deportation procedures where applicable and in accordance with the law.
“Under South African immigration laws, each undocumented foreign national must be processed individually before deportation can take place.”
A virtual court linked to the Durban regional court at the Sherwood site will also expedite the process.
To date, 1,458 people have been deported, with 19 buses en route to Malawi.
Councillor Imtiaz Syed said the current situation was forged by “intended and unintended consequences”.
“A handful of Malawians sought refuge at the mosque next to the hall. This number mushroomed in the days after when the tents went up, and NPOs stepped in to assist with food, clothes and blankets.”
He said soon it became a humanitarian concern, then the Malawian government intervened, but the South African government had to step in amid concerns raised by locals and residents.
“There were huge safety and health concerns and rightly so in light of the protests and congestion in the residential area.”
A resident who lives in Garbutt Road, adjacent to the hall, said the past two weeks were “hell”.
“We have been on constant tenterhooks with the number of people there and many were sitting outside our houses because the ground was too small.
“Then today [Wednesday] there were protests and police and stun grenades and rubber bullets. It has been too much. We don’t understand why urgent action was not taken sooner. Why did it have to become a crisis before our government stepped in?”
The resident, who lives with his elderly parents, wife and three children, said in light of uncertainty over violence he opted to move his parents and children out of the house to relatives nearby.
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