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South African police have fired tear gas and rubber bullets at a group of Malawian nationals awaiting repatriation at the Sherwood Hall transit site in Durban.
The Malawians reportedly refused to be moved to the Lindela Repatriation Centre or vacate the Sherwood Hall transit site on Wednesday.
They expressed frustration over the repatriation process, alleging that women and children had already been returned to Malawi, while thousands of others, mostly men, remain stranded in Durban.
According to the group, authorities had earlier indicated they would be transferred to the Lindela Repatriation Centre rather than being sent directly back to their home country.
However, South African authorities said the transit site could no longer accommodate the growing number of people awaiting repatriation and instructed them to relocate.
Tensions escalated when some members of the group, armed with stones, sticks and tree branches, began chanting and throwing objects at police officers.
In response, police deployed stun grenades and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.
The incident on Wednesday follows an earlier protest that brought traffic to a standstill, after thousands of Malawians marched through several roads in Durban on Tuesday.
Thousands of Malawians have appealed to their government to facilitate their return home amid rising anti-migrant sentiment and xenophobic attacks targeting foreign nationals in South Africa. More than 7,000 Malawians are reportedly camped at the transit site.
The Malawian government repatriated about 900 of its nationals from South Africa last week.
According to South Africa’s Justice Department, at least 1,876 of the 7,000 Malawian nationals at the site have been identified as illegal migrants.
Anti-migrant groups have called for undocumented foreigners to leave the country, setting a June 30, 2026 deadline.
The Malawian government is, however, appealing for donations to support the repatriation of its nationals.
