Displaced migrants at Sherwood Park in Durban are demanding that they be sent back to Malawi and not to the Lindela Repatriation Centre in Gauteng.
Stranded Malawian nationals, who are facing a deepening immigration crisis in KwaZulu-Natal, have challenged their home government over claims of financial constraints, demanding that Malawi’s wealthiest tycoons step in to bankroll their urgent repatriation.
The demand comes as the Malawian government launched a global appeal for funding to manage what it calls an "unprecedented" humanitarian emergency, with an estimated 10,000 citizens in distress across South Africa following what they said were targeted vigilante attacks.
This comes amid ongoing protests by South African organisations over the issue of illegal immigration in the country and reports of foreign nationals being forced out of informal settlements and other areas by locals.
Displaced nationals currently sheltered at the Sherwood Community Hall in Sydenham, Durban, have expressed deep frustration with the slow pace of state-led repatriation. Many argue that if state coffers are empty, Malawi’s ultra-wealthy elite have a moral obligation to intervene.
