DURBAN, KWAZULU-NATAL — A severe winter crisis is unfolding in Durban as more than 10,000 Malawian nationals remain stranded without adequate shelter at the Sherwood Grounds.
KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli toured the overcrowded facility on Tuesday alongside other state representatives, warning that the situation is rapidly deteriorating into a full-blown emergency. According to crowd estimates and welfare records, the population at the site has surpassed the 10,000 mark and continues to climb with new arrivals. Ntuli expressed deep concern over the complete lack of structural shelter, noting that vulnerable demographics, including women and children, are forced to sleep directly on the grass. With the region deep in the freezing winter season and rain in the forecast, he cautioned that exposure to the elements poses a severe threat to their physical well-being.
The displaced individuals, who have been camped at the location for the past two weeks trying to maintain some semblance of their daily routines, report being driven out of surrounding neighborhoods. This mass displacement follows a surge in local hostility directed at undocumented foreign migrants. In response, transport fleets have been continuously ferrying passengers back to Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi. The Malawian government is collaborating closely with South African authorities to facilitate these safe returns. Despite the steady stream of departing buses, the sheer volume of people at the camp means the exodus is barely making a dent. Those securing seats on the transport have voiced profound relief, anticipating safety and stability upon their arrival home.
The massive influx of displaced migrants has also triggered a logistical bottleneck within the local justice system. Speaking from outside courtroom 9 at the Durban Magistrate’s Court, the Deputy Justice Minister detailed the legal mechanisms being deployed to manage the fallout. The specific courtroom has been converted into a virtual priority hub dedicated exclusively to immigration cases originating from the Sherwood Park vicinity.
The Deputy Justice Minister provided a statistical breakdown of the 7,000 individuals currently being processed through this specific judicial channel. Of that group, 1,876 have been officially classified as undocumented. Thanks to bilateral cooperation, 676 of these individuals have already been voluntarily sent back to Malawi. The remaining undocumented migrants are navigating formal deportation processes. Authorities have issued removal orders against them pursuant to section 34(1B) of the national Immigration Act. Because this specific legal clause mandates a formal magistrate hearing to validate the removal, the courts are working around the clock to process the backlog and resolve their legal status.