About 700 Malawians to be repatriated from Durban camp with Gift of the Givers support

Malawian High Commissioner to South Africa Adam Ali says Gift of the Givers has provided buses to transport about 700 Malawian nationals who were camping at the old Durban Drive-In back to Malawi.

The move comes as anti-migrant organisations continue to call for undocumented immigrants to leave South Africa. Some foreign nationals have been deported or repatriated amid rising anti-migrant tensions and protests.

Ali said the buses were provided through collaboration with the disaster response NGO and the Department of Home Affairs.

“We talked to Gift of the Givers, we have donated some of the buses.”

“Then I understand the Home Affairs, we have sent some of the buses which are the four buses which you are seeing here. The one I’m loading is for the Gift of the Givers and the other buses coming too,” he told SABC News on Friday.

He said loading of passengers had already begun.

“I’ve already started, the one bus is loaded. Now I want to load the women there in these buses for the Gift of the Givers. And who organized the front buses? That is Home Affairs.”

Ali said men would be transported to Messina, while women would travel directly to Malawi.

“I think there are 777. Yeah, we are trying.”

Asked about arrivals at the camp, he said registration was closed for new arrivals.

“No, I just registered. Those who have registered, that’s the one I’m dealing with. Those who just come, I never register them, no. It’s over now for me.”

He said the process would continue until all registered individuals were transported.

“We’ll see. At the end of the day today, we’ll see how many people we will load. That’s why I’m busy loading now.”

Ali said migrants at the camp had come from different areas, many citing safety concerns.

“They’re saying they’ve been chased from their houses. Some they’ve been, I don’t know, disturbed. Then they have to run away to come here. So they come here for their safety. So they just want to go back home.”

He said the operation focused on Malawian nationals only, although other nationalities were present.

“I heard that there’s some Zimbabweans, but me, I’m dealing only with Malawians. I heard there’s Zimbabweans here and people from Mozambique. So now I’m only dealing with people from Malawi.”

Ali expressed concern that more people might arrive at the camp as transport became available.

“I’m worried because I even told these people that they mustn’t send no message to anyone because now this is over for me.”

“Now I can’t do anything. I can’t keep on begging, begging, appealing, appealing.”

He said he felt uncomfortable about repeatedly requesting assistance.

“That’s not good. And I told these people we are at the camp that they should stop sending messages, telling the people to come because the buses are here.”

Ali also said migrants had been instructed not to bring luggage due to limited transport capacity.

“I’m stopping them from bringing their luggage.”

He said families would make arrangements later for belongings to be sent separately.

“They go to their husband. They live with their husband. Then they can make a plan on how they’re going to send the luggage.”

When asked how luggage would be transported, he said the priority was safe return.

“Me, I’m just hoping to take their life safely back home.”

[email protected]

IOL News