Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi led a government delegation to Durban this week to oversee the processing and repatriation of thousands of Malawian nationals.
The operation represents a significant logistical effort to address illegal immigration and manage the movement of stranded foreign nationals through official channels.
Kubayi was joined by Deputy Minister Thandi Moraka and Acting National Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane. The delegation visited a processing site in Sherwood Park to assess current operations and ensure that the repatriation process remains safe, orderly, and humane [1].
Government officials are currently seeking 1,000 buses [2] to facilitate the transport of approximately 7,000 Malawian nationals [3] who are currently stuck in Durban. The scale of the transport requirement reflects the volume of people awaiting processing before they can leave the country.
The visit aimed to verify that the administration of the site is efficient and that the rights of the individuals are respected during the transition. Officials said the priority is to resolve the backlog of stranded individuals while maintaining border security.
This coordinated effort involves multiple government tiers and law enforcement agencies to prevent chaos at the processing centers. The use of large-scale transport is intended to move the population quickly to avoid further congestion in the Sherwood Park area [2].
“Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi led a government delegation to Durban this week.”
The scale of this operation, requiring 1,000 buses for 7,000 people, indicates a significant bottleneck in South Africa's immigration and deportation infrastructure. By deploying high-level ministers and police leadership to a specific site like Sherwood Park, the government is signaling an urgency to clear stranded populations to reduce local tension and address illegal immigration concerns.
