Buses Carrying Malawians Allegedly Dump Passengers at Lenasia
- Malawian nationals dumped at Phumla Mqashi depot spark community outrage in southern Johannesburg
- Residents demand safer transport options for displaced individuals and adherence to legal migration processes
- Community mobilisation intensifies as authorities face pressure to accompany stranded individuals to the national border
Source: Getty Images
LENASIA, GAUTENG— Buses from Durban meant to take Malawian nationals back to their country have dumped them at Phumla Mqashi bus depot near Lenasia. This development has sparked immediate community mobilisation across multiple southern Johannesburg areas after buses dumped other Malawians in Newlands, Johannesburg, recently.
In a video @My_Azania posted on X on 24 June 2026, an unidentified coordinator monitors the SMT buses and police presence at the site. The speaker defended the community's safety concerns, claiming that the unscheduled arrivals would worsen local crime rates.
According to local reports, thousands of Malawians recently fled violence and displacements in KwaZulu-Natal, prompting voluntary repatriation initiatives. However, these specific transport vehicles allegedly lacked proper cross-border permits, resulting in passengers being offloaded short of their destination.
More Malawians left in parts of Johannesburg
The video shows residents gathering outside the gated facility. The coordinator explicitly requested communities in Zacharia Park, Ennerdale, Vlakfontein, Lenasia South, Finetown, Lehae, Hospital Hills and Lawley to head to the depot immediately. He stated that the displaced individuals would not be permitted to sleep there overnight and must leave today.
DON'T MISS IT: Stay Away From Fake News With Our Short, Free Fact-Checking Course. Join And Get Certified!
The narrator noted that trucks had arrived delivering food supplies to the stranded group. Local leadership remains resolute that the repatriation process must be handled directly through official state channels rather than leaving hundreds stranded at municipal transit hubs.
The narrator added that community members will continue to monitor the depot gates while demanding that authorities securely accompany the buses directly to the national border today. They insist that unilateral drop-offs by private transport operators bypass lawful migration procedures and severely compromise local and regional stability across South Africa.
View the video on X here:
Permit Failures Leave Migrants Stranded
Similarly, Briefly News reported that Johannesburg authorities were left entirely unaware of the arrival of stranded Malawian nationals in Newlands due to a complete lack of inter-provincial coordination. JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla confirmed the department received no prior notifications from Home Affairs or KwaZulu-Natal officials. The group, primarily women and children under a voluntary repatriation program, became stranded over the weekend because their transport buses lacked proper cross-border permits.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
Source: Briefly News
