The South African and Malawian governments have intensified efforts to facilitate the repatriation of Malawian nationals, with 980 people having already left the Lindela Repatriation Centre in Krugersdorp.
More Malawian nationals were also preparing to return home.
This as the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Migration briefed the media on Sunday, where it outlined progress in implementing measures aimed at managing irregular migration and strengthening immigration enforcement.
Chairperson of the IMC, Mmamoloko Kubayi, who is also the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, reported that members of the committee recently visited two sites in the City of eThekwini, Che Guevara and Sherwood Park, where about 457 and 7000 Malawian citizens gathered for repatriation to their country.
Out of the 457 individuals who were at Che Guevara, only three were found not to have legal status to remain in South Africa.
“At Che Guevara, the IMC communicated the government’s stance that South Africa does not have refugee camps and that there is no intention to create camps even on a temporary basis. Accordingly, the people who are legally in South Africa were advised to either reintegrate into the communities in which they have been residing, and they will receive protection from the police like all other citizens of our country, or they could opt to be repatriated/deported back to their country of origin,” the Minister said at the briefing held in Pretoria.
To facilitate the return of Malawian nationals at Sherwood, Kubayi said the Malawian government has commissioned eight buses to transport its citizens home today.
“To expedite the repatriation process, our government will support the effort with 10 additional buses for the deportation of some Malawian nationals. So far, 980 Malawians have been deported from Lindela on 10 June 2026, as part of the crackdown.
“Going forward, the re-establishment of a court at Lindela will ensure that deportations from Lindela centre will be expedited. Engagement between Home Affairs and the Department of Justice and the Gauteng Judge President has commenced in this regard,” Kubayi said, adding that the work to re-establish a court is at an advanced stage and will be completed within a month.
In his weekly newsletter to the nation on Monday, President Cyril Ramaphosa said government is working on setting up dedicated courts that will tackle immigration and speed up support for the deportation of undocumented migrants.
Kubayi said work to establish a priority court that handles, among others, immigration cases is also advanced, and that the Airport Company of South Africa (ACSA) has provided space.
In addition to Malawi, government announced that the governments of Ghana and Nigeria are also working closely with South Africa to facilitate the return of their citizens.
The Department of Home Affairs has identified a number of foreign nationals who had overstayed their visas and were residing in the country unlawfully. In accordance with the Immigration Act, these individuals have been formally declared undesirable persons and barred from re-entering South Africa for a period of five years.
The same measures have been applied to undocumented immigrants from other countries.
Legal authority
The government reiterated that only the Department of Home Affairs has the legal authority to determine whether an individual is lawfully present in South Africa and to take the necessary administrative actions, including deportations and declarations of undesirability.
“They have a duty to ensure individuals who are here illegally exit our ports of entry by facilitating temporary documentation for exit purposes.”
The IMC emphasised that migration remains a regional challenge requiring coordinated diplomatic engagement. To this end, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) will continue working with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and foreign ministries of affected countries to coordinate repatriation protocols, share operational information, and ensure that actions taken are consistent with regional commitments and mutual assistance arrangements.
“Our government appreciates the initiatives by several African countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, and Malawi, on repatriating their citizens from South Africa. Government is actively cooperating with them to facilitate the safe, orderly, and voluntary repatriation of its citizens. We maintain that our immigration challenges must be addressed strictly through lawful, peaceful, and constitutional means,” Kubayi said.
Meanwhile, the IMC said that over 40 000 illegal foreign nationals have been arrested since the beginning of 2026, with over 7 400 arrests made in the past month alone.
READ | Over 40 000 illegal foreign nationals have been arrested- IMC on Migration
– SAnews.gov.za
