Hundreds of Malawian mothers and children remain stranded at Durban’s Sherwood Hall as voluntary repatriation enters its second week. Officials report progress with thousands having returned home, but overcrowding and poor conditions persist at the transit site.
Hundreds of Malawian families have gathered at Sherwood Hall in Durban while awaiting buses to return home. The voluntary repatriation process, managed by South African and Malawian authorities, began after protests against undocumented foreign nationals displaced many residents.
Malawi’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Stella Ndau, stated that more than 3,500 nationals have already returned. She noted that 30 buses will have been deployed by the end of Friday and seven more are expected on Saturday. Malawi’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that over 1,200 Malawians left South Africa in the last two days.
A mother at the site described the conditions as difficult. “Every day we sleep on the floor with a small baby. It is overcrowded here because everyone wants to get on the bus,” she told SABC News. Home Affairs officials confirmed on Thursday that at least 12 babies had been delivered at the centre.
The operation has affected local activities, including voter registration in Ward 30, which has moved to an alternative venue. Some Malawian men are being deported separately through court processes for breaching migration laws.
