Braving cold nights, hundreds of Malawian nationals have been trickling in outside the Drive-in Site in North Beach since Tuesday. They have been arriving in private transport, while others were allegedly dropped off by their former employers.

The site has since Tuesday been decommissioned, after thousands of Malawians were processed and repatriated to Malawi, and some transported to Musina, Limpopo. This means that the latest group of men, women, and children continues to wait for the unknown.

A carpenter by trade, Mazunzo Makono, 38, is a bachelor and a father of one. He lived and worked in Shallcross for 15 years. His passport expired in January 2024 and has not been renewed. He is among the migrants in the swelling crowd. He admits that their fate is unclear.

“I arrived here last night, around 22:00. There was already a big crowd, and we spent the night under open skies, freezing and hungry,” Makono said.

He added that they were chased away from their homes in Shallcross by a group of people who demanded to see their “documents”, which they did not possess.

“The people promised to kill us if we didn’t leave. We ran away and camped outside Shallcross stadium. There, there was a mixture of different foreign nationalities. After some time, the Malawians were asked to move to Drive-in Site because that is where we were supposed to get help to return home.

“But here, it’s just a bare location. No food, no water, no toilets, and most importantly, no one is telling us anything,” said Makono.

Asked why he and others waited to arrive at the Drive-in Site after a week-long active operation, he said, “We were hoping that we would be okay, and no one would come for us. We were sure that we could safely stay under the radar. Now that we are here, we are waiting for the government to transport us to Musina.”

Also read: June 30: Malawians remain at Drive-In site

Durban Metro Police Service spokesperson Colonel Boysie Zungu said, “We also wish to inform all foreign nationals that the Drive-in is no longer operating as a repatriation centre. That process has now ended, and the City can no longer provide repatriation assistance. Foreign nationals who wish to return to their countries are encouraged to make their own travel arrangements.”

Chairperson of North Beach CPF, Mahomed Essa, assured residents that the situation outside Drive-in was currently “calm” and remained “under control”.

Also read: 8000 Malawians camp at Drive-Inn Site as repatriation progresses

“A group of foreign nationals remains gathered on the sidewalk outside the Old Drive In site in North Beach. Members of Metro Police, SAPS, the UIP, DG Protection Services, and the North Beach CPF are maintaining a visible presence and continue to monitor the area closely.

“There is no threat to public safety at this stage, and there is no reason for panic. We appeal to the public to avoid spreading unverified information and allow law enforcement and security partners to continue managing the situation,” Essa concluded.

With the cost of a single ticket to Malawi between R2000 and R3100, some of them say they are choosing to wait in limbo, hoping that a Good Samaritan will come to their rescue.

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