Nearly 20 000 Malawian nationals have been repatriated from South Africa in recent weeks, yet the number seeking to leave Durban continues to rise. The Department of Home Affairs reports that 90% of those gathered are undocumented. Over 8 000 departed Durban in the past two days.
Migrants have arrived from Durban, Pietermaritzburg and parts of the Eastern Cape. They are processed at a temporary transit camp set up at the old Durban drive-in before boarding buses to Malawi. Limited space means some wait outside the site until others depart.
Gift Siyabu, who has worked as a plumber in South Africa since September 2017, is among those leaving. He said he has a wife and daughter in the country but they refused to join him. Moosa Lodge said he hopes to return once he obtains proper documents, noting that many employers now face worker shortages.
Mildred Maas, who is five months pregnant, chose to leave despite a scheduled caesarean section. The Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration announced that those in Durban will move to a new repatriation centre in Musina, though no date was provided.
