Pretoria: 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.
According to South African Government News Agency, the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Migration briefed the media on Sunday, outlining 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 the briefing held in Pretoria, Minister Kubayi stated that South Africa does not have refugee camps and there is no intention to create camps even on a temporary basis. Individuals legally in South Africa were advised to either reintegrate into their communities or opt for repatriation.
To facilitate the return of Malawian nationals at Sherwood, the Malawian government commissioned eight buses for transportation. Kubayi mentioned that the South African government would support the effort with 10 additional buses for deportation. So far, 980 Malawians have been deported from Lindela on 10 June 2026. The government plans to re-establish a court at Lindela to expedite deportations.
In his weekly newsletter, President Cyril Ramaphosa stated that dedicated courts would be established to tackle immigration and speed up the deportation process for undocumented migrants. Kubayi further noted that the work to establish a priority court handling immigration cases is advanced, with space provided by the Airport Company of South Africa.
In addition to Malawi, 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 foreign nationals overstaying their visas and has declared them undesirable, barring them from re-entering South Africa for five years. The same measures apply to undocumented immigrants from other countries.
The government reiterated that only the Department of Home Affairs has the legal authority to determine lawful presence and take necessary actions, including deportations. The IMC emphasized that migration requires coordinated diplomatic engagement, and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) will continue working with regional partners to ensure actions are consistent with regional commitments.
The South African government appreciates the initiatives by several African countries on repatriating their citizens. The government is actively cooperating to facilitate safe, orderly, and voluntary repatriation through lawful and peaceful means. Meanwhile, 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.