DURBAN, KwaZulu-Natal — A rapidly expanding humanitarian situation has unfolded in Sherwood, Durban, where more than 4,000 foreign nationals—largely from Malawi—are sheltering in an open-field encampment after abandoning their homes over mounting security threats.
What began as a small gathering of approximately 75 individuals on Sunday evening has escalated dramatically. Camp monitors recorded 275 people by Monday afternoon, 500 by Tuesday, and roughly 3,000 by Wednesday. Current estimates place the camp’s population near 4,200, with new arrivals continuing to register throughout the day.
Conditions at the site remain challenging. The makeshift settlement faces overcrowding, inadequate sanitation infrastructure, and accumulated waste. Many occupants traveled from various neighborhoods across Durban and adjacent regions, reporting that intimidation and threats compelled them to seek immediate safety.
“This is a humanitarian crisis unfolding before our eyes,” remarked a field coordinator assisting with the response. “The numbers keep rising by the minute, and managing the intake process is becoming increasingly complex.”
Vulnerable groups—including women, children, and expectant mothers—make up a significant portion of those awaiting return arrangements. Authorities are conducting identity verification procedures before facilitating repatriation. While records suggest some individuals may not have held legal residency status in South Africa, a spokesperson for the Malawian embassy confirmed that all Malawian citizens requesting to return will be assisted, irrespective of documentation.
“We are facing a situation where the people here, they are too much,” explained an operations spokesperson at the site. “I’ve been in discussion with counselors about securing an alternate location. Ideally, we could close this camp for new arrivals and direct them elsewhere, but the volume is overwhelming.”
First-hand testimonies underscore the urgency driving people to the camp. One resident shared, “Since Saturday, we were told to leave. We had no funds to travel home, so we came here hoping for support or help obtaining travel documents.” Another added, “We hear threats that we will be attacked if we return to where we were staying. Fear is why we left. Going home to live peacefully is better than staying here in danger.”
Several individuals expressed reluctance to return to South Africa in the future, describing the current climate as significantly more volatile than in prior years.
Relief organizations are delivering essential humanitarian aid to the Sherwood site. Concurrently, law enforcement representatives have pledged that security protocols are active to protect those temporarily housed at the location while administrative processes advance.
A definitive schedule for repatriation transport has not yet been announced, as government and diplomatic teams continue coordinating logistics amid the evolving humanitarian response.