Durban MUNICIPALITY has urged other municipalities and other provinces to stop moving Malawian immigrants to Durban Drive In, North Beach, Durban.
This comes after the municipality has seen the number of immigrants flocking to this area continue to grow.
This place was designated by the municipality in the middle of the month to house Malawian immigrants who volunteered to be repatriated. This came after the danger of their crowding into the small community hall in Sherwood, Durban was seen.
In a statement the municipality sent to the media, it said it is concerned about the growing number of immigrants who seem to be being moved to this area from other municipalities, nearby cities and other provinces.
“Although this program for volunteers to be repatriated to their country is going well, the continued influx of new immigrants is setting back the work that has been done and putting unnecessary pressure on the resources that were earmarked for immigrants under the Etheku Municipality,” said the statement.
We went on to say that the municipality wants to make it clear that the Durban Drive In is not a place to welcome immigrants from other parts of the province or the whole of South Africa.
“The place was chosen to ensure safety, order as well as to assist immigrants who have volunteered to travel who were already in Durban when this program started.
“The relocation of people from other areas outside of Thekwini puts back the work that has been done and leads to the fact that the important resources that were provided for those who were there when the program started are no longer enough for them,” we said.
He said that the high number of immigrants that seems to be continuing to grow is causing serious pressure in the area, including health, hygiene improvement services, security as well as emergency assistance to the people.
We went on to say that volunteers as well as those who provide a variety of assistance are also under pressure because of this.
Explaining the figures, we said that since the start of this program, 12,800 have been given assistance, 10,941 of them have been transported to their country by 136 buses, while others were transported by 18.
“These statistics show that a lot of work has been done in collaboration with various government agencies, contributing agencies, private businesses and volunteers,” said the statement.
We said that the number of those who have left is the same as those who were kept in Sherwood. We said that this paints a picture that these are now filled again with young people, who were not there when the program was started.