Malawian Repatriation Delays Frustrate KZN Premier Thami Ntuli As Migrant Numbers Continue to Grow
- KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli discussed the ongoing efforts to repatriate Malawian nationals in the province
- Thousands of Malawian nationals are camped at sites in Durban and Pietermaritzburg ahead of the 30 June 2026 deadline
- The premier explained why repatriation efforts were taking so long, and how some foreign nationals were abusing the system
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Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.
KWAZULU-NATAL – Premier Thamsanqa Ntulu has expressed frustration with the delays in repatriating undocumented Malawian nationals.
The KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Premier noted that the delays were placing pressure on provincial authorities, as more undocumented migrants gathered at repatriation sites ahead of the 30 June 2026 deadline.
March and March, which has been leading calls for illegal immigrants to leave the country, has given them until the end of June 2026 to leave. The civic movement has also called for a national shutdown on 30 June, which has sparked fears of a repeat of the 2021 July unrest.
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Ntuli speaks out about delays in repatriation
Speaking to eNCA on Tuesday, 23 June 2026, the premier explained how the delays were putting added pressure on provincial authorities. He raised concerns, particularly about the lack of transport arranged by the Malawian embassy.
"They are not doing justice to our province. They should be providing enough buses to transport their nationals because they want to leave voluntarily," the premier said.
He added that the Malawian government was aware that most of its citizens were in South Africa illegally, and that delays were not helping resolve the situation for those who wish to return home.
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Premier describes the situation as a crisis
The premier also noted that while thousands of Malawian nationals had gathered in Durban, another camp had formed in Pietermaritzburg. The group sprang up following the murder of a Malawian national at the JikaJoe informal settlement. The man was killed after a group broke away from a march between Dales Park and Pietermaritzburg City Hall and headed to the informal settlement.
There was also a site at Sherwood Hall in Durban, but the Malawian nations who were camped there have since been moved to the Durban Drive-In. Talking about the various sites, Ntuli said that more foreign nationals were arriving at them, despite these sites not being officially designated for this purpose.
He also expressed frustration that some had the means of returning home but were using the situation to get free transportation to Malawi.
Other stories about Malawian nations in South Africa
Briefly News has covered several stories about the Malawian nationals who were camping outside a site in Durban.
- A Malawian national who was camping outside Sherwood Hall said that he had not had a bath in seven days.
- The Department of Home Affairs confirmed that several babies were born to Malawian nationals at Sherwood Hall.
- Home Affairs stated that no Malawian nationals at Sherwood Hall were linked to crime in South Africa.
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Source: Briefly News
