Malawian nationals who fled from the Clare Estate informal settlements and settled temporarily on the playground at the Sherwood Hall, said they feared for their lives and want to go home soon.
Since Sunday, approximately 500 Malawians have made the playground area their home, clutching their meagre possessions and enduring the cold weather at night.
Osman Bhoola, an interim Malawian community leader, said political activists knew where those from other African countries resided in the settlements and had come to their doors armed with sticks, knives and, in some confrontations, firearms, informing them to leave the area immediately before June 30.
Concern is mounting across South Africa over an upcoming June 30 deadline set by anti-illegal immigration groups, the Insizwa Ngobunsizwa Development Foundation and March for March, for undocumented migrants to leave the country.
Bhoola said they had endured the situation, but extortion threats by criminal elements had become serious and continued. On Sunday, the Malawians from the area decided to flee to a safe zone where they can then be taken home.
“Our families back home are concerned about our safety after what they saw on television, heard on the radio and saw on social media. We fear for our lives, but we have done nothing wrong besides seeking employment to make a living. Our country is poor and has limited jobs and economic opportunities,” Bhoola said.
He added that they were paying between R1,200 and R2,000 per month in rentals, but their shacklords could not assist them because they themselves were under threat.
Warren Burne, eThekwini Municipality ward 30 DA councillor, said he was aware of concerns raised by Sydenham and Sherwood residents about the temporary accommodation of displaced foreigners at Sherwood Park.
Image: Zainul Dawood
Burne said the SAPS’s Public Order Policing Unit and Durban Metro Police will based at Sherwood Park until the problem is resolved.
He said two mobile chemical toilets were left at Sherwood Park for the displaced foreigners.
“The Malawian Embassy representative Adam Ali is making arrangements to have the foreigners repatriated to Malawi. That will take time. I left a writing pad, a pen and a clipboard with the leaders of the displaced residents, for them to record their full names, date of birth, passport number, and which informal settlement they are from,” Burne said.
Azhar Bennett, a community activist, requested assistance for 30 babies under the age of four. In the interim several individuals have supplied bottles of water, loaves of bread, hot meals, blankets and clothing.
Residents were also concerned about a group of men that had connected a wire to the light pole and modified the connection to charge their cellphones.
Meanwhile hundreds of immigrants from across Durban sleep on the pavements outside the Department of Home Affairs Refugee Reception Centre, on Che Guevara Road (Moore Road) in Glenwood.
Recently, eThekwini Municipality Mayor Cyril Xaba announced plans to establish a repatriation facilitation office in Durban aimed at assisting legally recognised refugees who voluntarily wish to return to their countries of origin.
On Sunday, President Cyril Ramaphosa said concerns are being expressed in communities, workplaces, schools, clinics and across social media platforms about pressure put on public services.
Ramaphosa said that Cabinet adopted a comprehensive approach for migration management. He added that the Department of Home Affairs, Border Management Authority, South African Police Service and other law enforcement agencies have been and will intensify the process of identifying and deporting undocumented foreign nationals residing illegally in South Africa.
“We will set up dedicated courts to deal with immigration to speedily support the deportation of undocumented migrants. Inspections will continue to target companies employing undocumented foreign nationals. Every sovereign nation has a responsibility to know who enters its territory, why they are entering and how long they are permitted to stay,” Ramaphosa said.
