DURBAN, KWAZULU-NATAL — A growing humanitarian crisis has emerged as thousands of Malawian nationals find themselves stranded at the Sherwood grounds in Durban after being displaced from local communities.
KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli visited the overcrowded site on Tuesday alongside various other government officials, describing the situation as rapidly approaching a crisis. He noted that welfare records suggested the population was at or above 10,000, a number that continued to grow with new arrivals even during his visit. Ntuli highlighted the severe lack of proper shelter, warning that the onset of winter rains and freezing temperatures would be devastating for vulnerable groups, including women and children, who are currently sleeping directly on the grass.
The displaced individuals, who have spent the last two weeks attempting to maintain their daily routines from the makeshift camp, claim they were chased out of residential neighborhoods amid heightened local tensions regarding undocumented immigrants. Buses have been continuously loading passengers for the journey to the Malawian capital of Lilongwe, as the Malawian government works closely with South African authorities to ensure the safe return of its citizens. However, due to the massive number of people at the grounds, the impact of the evacuations is hardly felt so far. Those boarding the transport have expressed relief, stating they anticipate feeling much safer once back in Malawi.
The mass displacement has also placed significant strain on the local legal system. The Deputy Justice Minister explained that courtroom 9 at the Durban Magistrate’s Court is currently operating as a virtual priority court to handle the influx of immigration matters emanating from the Sherwood Park area.
According to the Deputy Justice Minister, out of an estimated 7,000 individuals being processed through this specific court channel, 1,876 have been found to be without documentation. Of those, 676 have already been voluntarily repatriated with the assistance of the Malawian government. The remainder are undergoing formal deportation proceedings, with deportation orders issued against them in terms of section 34(1B) of the Immigration Act. This legal provision requires a formal hearing by a magistrate, a process that is actively underway to address the backlog.
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