The eThekwini Municipality was forced to abandon plans for a secondary deportation site at the Tills Crescent sports grounds following significant community opposition. The new site is to assist in decreasing numbers at the Sherwood site and also speeding up the repatriation and deportation process.
Facing overcrowding and health risks at the Sherwood site, the eThekwini Municipality initially sought to establish an overflow facility at the Tills Crescent Sports Grounds to accelerate the repatriation and deportation of thousands of undocumented Malawian nationals. This proposal, however, met with swift resistance from residents. The City eventually pivoted, selecting the Durban drive-in as an alternative staging area.
An eThekwini Municipality letter circulating on social media confirmed Tills Crescent as the selected site for the deportation project, citing it as an appropriate venue subject to municipal policy and safety compliance, with support from the Recreation and Parks Directorate.
However, in a media briefing on Wednesday, eThekwini Municipality mayor Cyril Xaba said they faced community rejection.
“Even before we went to talk to them. The instigators had reached out to them and started spreading rumours that we’re bringing all those people who are here to dump them at the next site because the people at Sherwood don’t want them. That is far from the truth. We are creating a new site solely to fast-track the process,” Xaba said.
