“Your Humanity Is Seen”: Cape Town Ward Councillor Shares Aftermath of Repatriation Efforts

• Ward 57 Councillor Yusuf Mohamed shared a video showing streets littered with waste following repatriation gatherings in Cape Town
• Residents and volunteers assisted the councillor, with police working in the rain to clean up
• The councillor thanked everyone who stepped in to help, while some residents raised questions about whether proper facilities were provided for those waiting to leave

Streets covered in litter, garbage trucks rolling in and volunteers dressed in protective gear picking up waste in the rain. That was the scene that Ward 57 Councillor Yusuf Mohamed shared on Facebook on 28 June 2026. The distressing clip showed the aftermath of repatriation gatherings in his ward. He shared the video with the message:

"Huge thank you to all involved. Your humanity is seen. It is true. It will not be forgotten."

The footage shows paper cups, plastic packets and food waste scattered across roads and pavements. Police vehicles were on the scene directing traffic. Several volunteers in protective clothing worked through the wet conditions to get the streets back in order.

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A country managing an enormous movement of people

The mess on Cape Town's streets is a small part of the scale of what South Africa has been managing in recent weeks.

Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi confirmed that over 15,000 Malawian nationals had already been processed for repatriation ahead of the 30 June deadline set by the March and March movement.

Thousands more were still being verified in makeshift encampments in parts of KwaZulu-Natal, where living conditions had become very difficult.

Several countries including Malawi, Ghana, Nigeria, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Congo have organised voluntary repatriation transport for their nationals.

Between 12 and 24 June alone, the Border Management Authority processed over 8,200 people at Beitbridge, with 6,709 Malawians transported on 112 buses and 1,521 Zimbabweans on 26 buses.

At least three people have died in the unrest according to official sources, with Mozambican authorities putting the death toll among their nationals at five. A Malawian national was also killed during a march in Pietermaritzburg.

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Watch the Facebook clip below:

Cape Town debates the repatriation aftermath

Residents had mixed views on what caused the mess and who was responsible, sharing their thoughts on the councillors' Facebook page:

@GayleFriedman wrote:

"Blessings to all who assisted. Earth belongs to all. ♡♡♡"

@CarinaSolomons questioned:

"Were dustbins and portable toilets provided for them? It could have been avoided if the City of Cape Town had made provision."

@SamanthaCrawfordBadenhorst asked:

"Were there bins for them?"

@BelindaEls said:

"South African legal leave mess like this all the time. Just look at parks and open spaces where they gather on weekends."

@CouncillorSueVanDerLinde wrote:

"Well done, Cllr Yusuf."

@CelesteRaynardt said:

"Check the difference after Tuesday."

More on South Africa's repatriation crisis

• Briefly News recently reported on 17 repatriation buses being turned away at Beitbridge after arriving without the correct documents.
• A Cape Town woman's viral praise for her Zimbabwean employees divided South Africa, with many questioning whether the preference is about skill or something else.
• Nearly 400 Malawian nationals spent the weekend camped outside the Malawian Consulate in Sandton.

Source: Briefly News