Hundreds of Malawian foreign nationals have taken refuge on the grounds at the Sherwood Hall.
What began as a community facility in Durban has become the centre of a rapidly escalating humanitarian operation, with around 10,000 people from Malawi now sheltering at Sherwood Hall as authorities struggle to manage one of KwaZulu-Natal's most complex displacement situations in recent years.
As winter settles over the coastal city, conditions at night are becoming increasingly harsh. For many, the combination of uncertainty and dropping temperatures is deepening an already fragile situation.
Speaking on site on Sunday, KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli described the unfolding events as a crisis requiring immediate coordination between government, civil society and affected communities.
"This situation here, unfortunately, is a crisis, which we must manage," he said.
