Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber says 9 488 immigrants were deported in an orderly manner, with 7 000 still at the site as operations continue.
Displaced Malawian nationals prepare to board a bus at an abandoned municipality building on Mayors Walk in Pietermaritzburg on June 23, 2026 after fleeing their homes amid fears of xenophobic attacks and threats from anti-illegal immigration groups. The country, one of Africa’s largest and most industrialised economies, has been on edge following weeks of sometimes violent xenophobic unrest that has left at least two people dead. Small but organised groups have issued an ultimatum for undocumented migrants to exit or face consequences, a demand with no legal force. (Photo by RAJESH JANTILAL / AFP)
More than 9 000 foreign nationals have been repatriated and deported from Durban Drive-In site in KwaZulu-Natal, with about 7 000 people remaining.
The Minister of Home Affairs, Leon Schreiber, confirmed on Tuesday evening that a total of 9 488 immigrants were repatriated and deported.
9 488 foreign nationals deported
Schreiber said the repatriation happened in an “orderly, lawful and human manner.”
He added that about 7 000 foreign nationals remain at the site, and verification and operation continue as more people arrive.
The minister also confirmed that the Sherwood Hall site has been cleared.
Tensions have been rising in South Africa after anti-foreigner groups issued an unofficial ultimatum for undocumented immigrants to leave the country by 30 June.
Sherwood Hall cleared
As people waited to be returned home in fear of violence against immigrants in South Africa, there were concerns of overcrowding at Sherwood Hall.
There were reports that conditions were dire with food and water shortages, overwhelmed toilets, and not enough tents.
Tensions also reportedly escalated last week with limited buses, food, and sanitation, leading to scuffles in queues and the police using teargas and rubber bullets.
Schreiber went on to say that the Malawian nationals who were left stranded at Newlands in Johannesburg have also all been repatriated after the department of home affairs stepped in to assist.
The minister added that in Pietermaritzburg, 657 people have been repatriated from a site with inhumane conditions, and operations will continue into the night.
“Home Affairs and the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Migration continue to collaborate with colleagues across all spheres of government to ensure a well-managed process while reaffirming that no person may engage in violence or incitement or infringe on the dignity of any other human being,” he said.
Foreign national allegedly killed in Pietermaritzburg
Meanwhile, the South African Police Service is reportedly investigating the killing of a foreign national in Pietermaritzburg.
According to AFP, a local councillor told the news agency that a 29-year-old Malawian was attacked and died after a protest. The police, however, did not reveal the man’s nationality.
