The South African government needs more than 1,000 buses to send home over 7,000 Malawian nationals currently stranded in Sherwood, Durban. The announcement came Sunday from Mmamoloko Kubayi, chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration (IMC).

This mass repatriation follows weeks of protests by civic groups like March and March, who are demanding that illegal immigrants leave South Africa by June 30. The pressure has pushed the government into action.

Kubayi said at a media briefing in Pretoria that the number of Malawians in Sherwood Park has surged recently, and the process must be sped up. "We're committed to ensuring the safe return of our citizens. Our transport requirements have drastically increased, and more than 1,000 buses are essential to facilitate this effort efficiently," she stated.

The Malawian government has already commissioned eight buses to start moving its citizens. South Africa will add 10 more buses to help deport some of them.

This is part of a bigger crackdown. Kubayi revealed that 980 Malawians were deported from the Lindela Repatriation Centre on June 10 alone. A new court at Lindela will speed up deportations from that facility.

President Cyril Ramaphosa recently announced a package of measures to tighten immigration enforcement, secure borders, and punish employers who hire undocumented migrants. The IMC gave an update on how those plans are going.

Kubayi also dropped some eye-popping numbers: law enforcement has made over 40,000 arrests since the start of the year for immigration violations. In the past month alone, 7,400 people were arrested. "There's a belief that the government is wilfully ignoring illegal immigration; however, this is far from the truth," she said.

She added that 143 arrests were made recently not just for illegal entry but also for inciting violence during the protests.

In Atteridgeville, officials found about 457 people sleeping on the streets. Kubayi said the government is ramping up efforts to restore order in communities hit by the influx.

Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber announced new security measures. The green ID book is being phased out in favour of a digital ID. Face recognition technology is being rolled out at ports of entry. "I think it's a matter of weeks before we're able to scale that up," he said. The digital ID will let citizens control their own information.

  • Over 1,000 buses needed to repatriate 7,000+ Malawians from Sherwood, Durban
  • 980 Malawians deported from Lindela on June 10
  • 40,000+ immigration arrests since January 2026
  • 7,400 arrests in the past month
  • 143 arrests for illegal entry and inciting violence
  • 457 homeless individuals found in Atteridgeville

"There's a belief that the government is wilfully ignoring illegal immigration; however, this is far from the truth."

South Africa has long struggled with balancing its immigration laws and the rights of migrants. The current protests and government response show how tense the situation has become. With a June 30 deadline looming, the next two weeks will be critical.