More than 150 foreign nationals from Mozambique and Malawi have begun voluntary repatriation from South Africa’s Overberg region, marking a significant development nearly a week after dozens of immigrant families fled their residences over security fears.
On Friday, buses departed from Kleinmond carrying the returning families as part of a coordinated repatriation effort. According to municipal officials, approximately 90 percent of individuals processed at community halls in Kleinmond, Stanford, and Gansbaai were determined to be undocumented.
For many families, the journey home concludes a challenging week spent seeking refuge in community facilities. Precious, one of the departing residents, described mixed emotions about the return. “Sometimes I feel good, sometimes I feel bad,” Precious stated. “Even our family said it’s better must come back. We’re going to see what we can do for you.” Precious also noted that additional relatives are anticipated to depart in the days ahead.
In Stanford, situated roughly 60 kilometers from Kleinmond, displaced foreign nationals gathered their possessions while waiting for transportation. A Mozambican resident who has lived in South Africa since 2010 expressed resignation about the situation, stating he believed departure was his only option.
Tensions in the Die Kop informal settlement have centered on long-standing community concerns regarding undocumented foreign nationals establishing residences in the area. A former community leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, clarified that local opposition is not motivated by discrimination but by efforts to safeguard scarce resources and economic opportunities for South African citizens.
The recent wave of anti-immigration demonstrations has renewed national discussion surrounding the Immigration Act and community relations. Advocates have emphasized the need for immigration enforcement to follow established legal protocols through designated national agencies. “It’s so important that we look at the documented and undocumented and that things are done in a proper way because we have national agencies that are actually responsible for this type of thing,” one community observer remarked. The observer also noted that immigration officials had conducted inspections at local restaurants and shops in the week preceding the initial protests.
Following the departure of more than 150 individuals, municipal staff began cleaning and restoring the community halls used during the displacement period. Meanwhile, additional foreign nationals have continued to arrive at assistance centers, seeking support for voluntary return to their home countries. The repatriation initiative remains active as local authorities balance humanitarian obligations with immigration compliance requirements in the region.