- Home Affairs says there is no government-imposed deadline for foreign nationals to leave South Africa.
- Between 5,000 and 7,000 undocumented Malawian nationals are believed to be involved in ongoing repatriation and deportation processes.
- Officials say fear, insecurity and calls by pressure groups for undocumented migrants to leave the country have contributed to large numbers gathering at repatriation sites.
Home Affairs has stressed that there is no official government deadline for foreign nationals to leave South Africa.
The clarification comes as thousands of undocumented Malawian nationals continue to be processed in KwaZulu-Natal through repatriation and deportation procedures.
Thousands of Malawian nationals have sought repatriation amid fears of xenophobic violence, intimidation and calls by anti-immigrant groups for undocumented foreigners to leave the country by 30 June. Home Affairs has stressed that the government did not issue any such deadline.
Officials say fear and insecurity, together with the availability of organised transport home, have contributed to the large numbers gathering at repatriation sites.
Speaking during an impromptu media briefing, KwaZulu-Natal Home Affairs provincial manager Cyril Mncwabe said officials were continuing to process people through two channels, namely repatriation and deportation.
“We are still loading buses with people who have been cleared for deportation by the court. It’s a continuous process,” he said. Mncwabe added that buses transporting people returning home voluntarily were also continuing to operate.
Uncertainty over total numbers
Although reports have suggested that between 6,000 and 7,000 people are involved, Mncwabe said authorities still do not know the exact number.
“Unfortunately, we can’t give an exact number. There is no system to tell us exactly how many people are here,” he said. He said estimates remained between 5,000 and 7,000 people.
According to officials, about 10 buses carrying migrants have already arrived in Malawi, while others are still travelling.
Two legal processes
Mncwabe said everyone currently being processed is undocumented and therefore in the country illegally. “None of these people are here legally. They are all undocumented,” he said.
He explained that officials are following two separate procedures. The first is repatriation, which is funded by the Malawian government and applies to those returning home voluntarily. The second is deportation, which requires individuals to appear before a court and be formally cleared for removal under South Africa’s immigration laws.
“When it comes to deportation, we must go through the courts so people can be formally approved for removal,” he said.
No government deadline
Responding to concerns that migrants were leaving because of fears about a deadline to leave the country, Mncwabe again stressed that no such deadline had been issued by the government. “There is no government deadline,” he said.
He said the deadline being discussed publicly originated from pressure groups and not the South African government. “Government has never set a deadline. We are handling every undocumented person according to the law,” Mncwabe said.
He added that immigration enforcement against undocumented foreign nationals takes place throughout the year through inspections and verification operations.
Concerns about free transport
Officials acknowledged concerns that some people may be taking advantage of the operation because travelling to Malawi is expensive.
Mncwabe said bus fares can range from R1,000 to R3,000 per person, making organised transport appealing to some migrants. “There might be some people taking a chance,” he said.
However, he also acknowledged that many people may have gathered at the site because they were fearful following public calls for foreign nationals to leave the country.
Criminal screening continues
Authorities said fingerprint checks are being conducted on people going through the deportation process, particularly adult men. Specialist SAPS fingerprint teams are screening individuals before deportation is finalised.
Mncwabe said no one processed so far has been linked to any ongoing criminal cases or identified as a wanted suspect. “Fortunately, no one has been linked to any crime or flagged as a wanted person,” he said.
Officials under pressure
The operation has now continued for several days, placing significant pressure on Home Affairs staff. “I can confirm that everyone is exhausted now. It’s a very serious and tiring process,” Mncwabe said.
He said about 16 immigration officers are currently managing the operation alongside court officials and police personnel. The processing venue is privately owned and was made available to Home Affairs, but space remains limited.
Officials estimate that between 60 and 70 people can be processed through the court system on a typical day, depending on court availability. With no completion date in sight, Mncwabe said the operation could continue for some time. “There’s no end date at the moment for when we’ll finish this process,” he said.
He reiterated that there is no government-imposed deadline for migrants to leave South Africa and that all immigration matters are being handled in accordance with the law.
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