About 4,000 Malawian immigrants have been repatriated from Durban.
This was revealed by the Mayor of Durban, Mr. Cyril Xaba, at a press conference held on Saturday at the Drive Inn, North Beach, Durban.
Beyond the community hall in Sherwood, Durban, the Drive Inn is the second place identified by the government to house Malawian immigrants, who have left the community, saying they fear for their lives as protests continue against illegal immigrants.
In recent weeks, these Malawian immigrants have been seen flocking to Sherwood to seek safe haven. The numbers that were flocking day by day seemed to increase rapidly and it was clear that this place was small and made the situation unmanageable.
Last week, the Municipality of Thekwini tried to identify a second place in Sydenham where they said they would be reduced, but the community there suddenly met with an uproar and said that they do not need them in their place. This is where the municipality finally identified the Drive Inn to be kept. At that time, Xaba promised that this place will work until June 30 this year, which is the date set by the protesters fighting against the illegal immigrants to beat when they return to their countries.
Speaking to the media, Xaba revealed that about 4000 Malawians have left since the start of the program to move those who said they were in fear of their lives.
“The government of this country is working with the Malawian High Commission to see the difference in the task of ensuring that Malawians who have lived in Sherwood for a long time are moved to their homeland in an orderly and humane manner,” said Xaba.
He said on Friday, eight buses loaded 784 people, turned their backs on the country’s route to Malawi.
“The local government has indicated that it will release 20 buses to help,” he said.
He thanked the various agencies that work in cooperation with the immigrants living in these two areas. He mentioned different government departments, non-profit organizations, churches as well as community members who contribute. He also thanked the residents as well as the businesses in ward 26, which built the Drive Inn, for working with the government to keep these immigrants in the community.
He said that the place will continue to work for a while to help the process of repatriation of Malawians to their homeland, go faster. He said that Sherwood Hall will continue to work in this program.
“The good thing about the Drive Inn is that it is safe, the entry of people into it is controlled and the task of counting those who are kept in it, who want help, is easy,” said Xaba who emphasized that this will not be a place to keep immigrants forever since the government has made it clear that it has no plans to open camps for immigrants.
He said that currently the people they have prioritized are women, children and those with health problems.
He said the large tents placed at the Drive Inn can accommodate 5000 people per tent. He said that non-profit organizations have continued to provide immigrants with hot food as well as other needs that they urgently need. He said that those kept in these areas are also provided with water, electricity, toilets, health workers, police and the staff of the Ministry of Home Affairs continue to do their work.