South Africa Boots 10,000 Malawians Out – Thousands More Still Waiting in Limbo

South Africa has sent more than 7,000 Malawian nationals back to their home country from the city of Durban, with another 8,000 people still waiting to be processed [179231]. In a separate action, authorities deported over 3,000 Malawians after widespread protests in Johannesburg and other cities demanding stricter controls on illegal immigration [179643]. The repatriation effort follows heightened tensions after the killing of a 29-year-old Malawian national in KwaZulu-Natal province, which forced growing numbers of foreign nationals to flee their homes in search of safety [179216].

Among those affected, twelve babies born at a migrant camp in Durban have been placed on buses heading to Malawi [177076]. The infants were delivered at Sherwood Hall, where thousands of Malawian nationals have been sheltering for nearly two weeks after fleeing anti-migrant tensions [177076]. South Africa has also begun moving vulnerable Malawian nationals—including women, children, and people with health problems—to a new location called the Drive-Inn site as the government speeds up efforts to send them back to Malawi [179219].

However, the process has faced setbacks. More than 500 Malawian citizens remain stranded in Johannesburg after buses hired to take them home lacked proper permits, leaving the group without transport or accommodation [179230].