8000 Malawians camp at Drive-Inn Site as repatriation progresses
As at 14:00 on Monday, a total of 11 buses have left for Malawi carrying the displaced, undocumented nationals.
The Old Drive-inn Site in North Beach is a hive of footprints, as thousands of Malawian nationals await processing ahead of repatriation.
The group, now including women and children, were relocated from Sherwood following discontent from residents.
The Drive Inn Site serves as the processing location, where the Department of Home Affairs and Immigration offices operate around the clock.
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With stringent security, and monitored access, the foreigners may not leave the site once inside, while they wait to board buses to Malawi.
Speaking to the press on latest developments, Cyril Mncwabe, KZN Provincial Manager for the Department of Home Affairs, admitted that keeping track of the number of foreigners on site has become a challenge, although a figure of 7000 to 8000 is estimated.
“Processing and repatriation is ongoing. We, together with SAPS and immigration Office, are moving as fast as we can,” said Mncwabe. He added that they could not control the number of foreigners coming in as they keep arriving, apart from those bussed in from Sherwood.
The foreigners indicated that as much as they are pleased with returning home, being kept inside was frustrating, as they cannot walk in and out to freely.
“We are kept here and denied movement, while the processing continues. We are grateful for food and aid brought in by Good Samaritans, but we also need stuff at the shops,” said former panel beater, Kamu Banda.
Mncwabe said there was no clear mechanism in place to track arrivals, as some are still arriving privately from as far as Pietermaritzburg, and other districts in the province.
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“As we speak there’s an increasing group outside the site. We cannot let them in until the numbers have decreased inside. About 99% of people we have processed had no formal documents or passports.”
The SAPS desk is ensuring that all foreigners are checked for pending cases, resulting in one man being arrested today as he was on a wanted list.
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