The South African and Malawian governments have intensified efforts to facilitate the repatriation of Malawian nationals, with 980 people having already departed the Lindela Repatriation Centre in Krugersdorp. Additional Malawian citizens were also preparing to return home as the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Migration briefed the media on Sunday regarding progress in managing irregular migration and strengthening immigration enforcement.
Chairperson of the IMC, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Mmamoloko Kubayi, reported that her delegation recently visited two sites in the City of eThekwini, Che Guevara and Sherwood Park, where approximately 457 and 7,000 Malawian citizens gathered for repatriation. Of the 457 individuals at Che Guevara, only three lacked legal status to remain in South Africa.
“At Che Guevara, the IMC communicated that South Africa does not operate refugee camps and has no intention of establishing temporary facilities. Those legally present were advised to either reintegrate into their communities—with police protection—or opt for voluntary repatriation,” Minister Kubayi stated at the Pretoria briefing. She noted that the Malawian government has arranged eight buses for Sherwood Park returns, while South Africa will provide 10 additional buses for deportations. Since June 10, 2026, 980 Malawians have been deported from Lindela as part of enforcement operations.
To expedite future deportations, a court will be re-established at the Lindela centre. Kubayi confirmed that engagements between Home Affairs and the Department of Justice with the Gauteng Judge President are underway, with completion expected within a month. President Cyril Ramaphosa announced in his weekly newsletter that dedicated courts for immigration matters are being developed to accelerate deportation processes.
Kubayi added that a priority court handling immigration cases is advancing, with the Airport Company of South Africa providing necessary space. Ghana and Nigeria are similarly collaborating with South Africa on citizen repatriation efforts. The Department of Home Affairs has identified numerous visa-overstay violators, declaring them undesirable persons barred from re-entry for five years—a measure also applied to other undocumented foreign nationals.
The government emphasized that only the Department of Home Affairs holds legal authority to determine lawful presence and implement administrative actions, including deportations. The IMC highlighted migration as a regional challenge requiring coordinated diplomatic engagement. The Department of International Relations and Cooperation will continue working with SADC and affected nations’ foreign ministries to coordinate repatriation protocols and ensure compliance with regional commitments.
“Government appreciates African partners’ initiatives in repatriating their citizens from South Africa. We are cooperating actively to facilitate safe, orderly, and voluntary repatriation through lawful, peaceful, and constitutional means,” Kubayi concluded. The IMC reported that over 40,000 illegal foreign nationals have been arrested since January 2026, with 7,400 detained in the past month alone.
