PIETERMARITZBURG, KWAZULU-NATAL — The recent Pietermaritzburg protests targeting undocumented immigrants have largely subsided, paving the way for local authorities to dismantle emergency housing. Mayor Mzimkhulu Thebolla of the uMsunduzi Local Municipality confirmed that the temporary migrant shelter hosting displaced foreign nationals has been officially decommissioned, marking a significant milestone in the region’s crisis management.
While the broader demonstrations have concluded with relative calm, the situation was not entirely without friction earlier in the week. Tensions peaked on East Street when demonstrators defied police orders to disperse. The standoff escalated into clashes, prompting law enforcement to deploy stun grenades to break up the crowds. Following the police intervention, the marchers dispersed, leaving the central business district quiet.
At the heart of the humanitarian response was a makeshift sanctuary utilized by Malawian nationals who had fled their residences across Pietermaritzburg due to the unrest. The facility, a condemned structure owned by the Department of Public Works, was initially deemed unsafe by government officials. However, the provincial MEC and the department granted temporary permission to house the vulnerable populations there to prevent casualties.
Mayor Mzimkhulu Thebolla provided a comprehensive update on the logistical triumph that led to the site’s closure.
“We are glad to formally announce that this site now has been closed. We are not expecting to see any more people coming in here,” Mayor Thebolla stated.
He revealed that a massive logistical operation successfully processed and relocated more than 7,000 individuals. A fleet of 114 buses was mobilized to transport the Malawian nationals, with convoys heading to Musina or directly back to their home countries. The mayor credited a unified effort involving all spheres of government, police, and humanitarian aid organizations for the seamless operation.
From the onset of the influx, humanitarian groups rapidly deployed essential supplies, including food and blankets. Mayor Thebolla highlighted that the swift provision of these services ensured the safety of the occupants.
“We came in to bring in services here so that we don’t see any casualties,” he explained, noting that while a small number of individuals required hospital treatment, there were no major reported incidents or fatalities during the shelter’s operation.
With the Malawian shelter closed, municipal focus has shifted to the repatriation of other foreign nationals, particularly citizens of Zimbabwe. Mayor Thebolla noted that local officials held a strategic meeting with the Zimbabwean embassy a few days prior to coordinate the next phase of relocations. To date, the embassy has successfully repatriated nearly 800 of its citizens.
The mayor praised the Zimbabwean diplomatic mission for its high level of organization, noting that embassy officials maintain accurate contact details and residential records for their nationals.
Unlike the main shelter, Zimbabwean nationals are being staged at a secondary location in Westmore Park. The embassy only transports groups from this site once a sufficient number of passengers is gathered. As of the latest update, approximately 400 Zimbabwean citizens remain at the Westmore Park location, with transport buses already on-site and prepared to ferry them back home.