Foreign Nationals in Umbilo Agree to Move to Lindela Amid Anti-Immigration Protests

• A group of foreign nationals camping outside the Home Affairs Refugee Reception Centre in Durban for three months agreed to relocate to the Lindela Repatriation Centre
• Demonstrators from March and March staged a protest nearby, with some brandishing sticks and sjamboks while police formed a human shield between the two groups
• Group leader Princess Adjei cited deteriorating conditions and safety fears as the reason behind the decision to accept transfer

KwaZulu-Natal — Foreign nationals living on Moore Road in Durban for three months agreed to relocate to the Lindela Repatriation Centre on 10 September 2026, following a tense standoff with anti-illegal immigration demonstrators in Umbilo.

According to Eyewitness News, the migrants had been sheltering on the pavement outside the Home Affairs Refugee Reception Centre on Che Guevara Street after being displaced from their homes ahead of earlier anti-illegal immigration protests. Many had sought voluntary deportation, but others remained stranded with no clear path forward.

Read also

DNA testing underway in search for six South Africans missing after Nepal floods

Tensions boil over in Umbilo

The situation reached a flashpoint on Thursday when members of the movement March and March held a demonstration in close proximity to the encampment. Some protesters arrived with sjamboks and sticks, prompting police to position themselves between the two groups to prevent a repeat of previously reported violent clashes.

Watch a video of the two groups clashing on X:

Group leader Princess Adjei said the migrants could no longer withstand the harsh outdoor conditions or the persistent threat to their safety. Her statement confirmed that these combined pressures were the decisive factors behind the group's agreement to accept relocation.

Mayor Xaba to coordinate with government

eThekwini Municipality Mayor Cyril Xaba confirmed he would engage with the Department of Home Affairs to work out the travel and logistical arrangements required to move the group to Lindela. No timeline for the transfer was immediately confirmed.

The Lindela Repatriation Centre, located in Krugersdorp, is the country's primary holding facility for undocumented foreign nationals awaiting deportation or processing by immigration authorities. The agreement marks a significant development in a street standoff that had persisted for three months, drawing sustained attention to the plight of displaced foreign nationals caught between bureaucratic delays and growing community hostility.

Read also

Durban Mayor Cyril Xaba booed at Moore Road March and March clean-up

SA First Forum threatens action

In a related article, Briefly News reported on Xolani Zuma’s warning that the government could face legal action if Congolese nationals receive accommodation in Durban before victims of the April 2022 floods. Zuma said some flood victims remain without permanent homes more than three years after the disaster.

Source: Briefly News