Nearly 1,000 Malawians were packed into 14 buses on Thursday night and driven from the Lindela Repatriation Centre in Krugersdorp back to Malawi. It was one of the largest single-day deportation operations South Africa has ever run.

The group included people caught in immigration raids, those transferred from prisons, and others who'd overstayed or broken immigration laws. Some Malawians have been leaving voluntarily because of anti-foreigner protests, but Home Affairs officials say this batch was mostly forced out.

Lindela is the main holding centre for undocumented foreigners caught across all nine provinces. Home Affairs official Stephen van Neel told eNCA News that people arrive there from everywhere in the country. Some have criminal records. Others just have expired papers. Either way, they end up in the same place before being sent home.

South Africa has been deporting people at record speed this year. In April 2025 alone, Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreier announced that the department removed 51,000 illegal immigrants — that's 18% more than the same month last year. Since the Government of National Unity was formed, more than 600,000 people have either been stopped at the border or deported from inside the country. Of those, over 500,000 were turned away at entry points, and 109,344 were picked up inside South Africa and sent out.

Malawi is one of the most expensive countries to deport people to because of the distance. Van Neel said the cost adds up fast. Normally, eight buses every week or two cost about R2.5 million. Thursday night's operation with 14 buses? Around R5 million. "It's a costly exercise," he said.

The Malawi government is feeling the pinch on the other end too. Chief Secretary to the Government Justin Saidi said on Tuesday that Malawi needs more than K1 billion — about R9.5 million — to bring home over 3,000 citizens still stuck in South Africa. He made the comment during a welcome ceremony for 150 Malawians who'd just returned.

Anti-immigrant sentiment has been running high in parts of South Africa. Protests and campaigns against undocumented foreigners have pushed many people out of their homes, jobs, and businesses. The government's enforcement drive shows no signs of slowing down.

"For eight buses that we normally would take on a weekly basis or every second week, we are paying up to R2.5 million. Tonight's exercise would probably be around R5 million for close to a thousand people. It's a costly exercise."

  • 980 Malawians repatriated in one night on 14 buses
  • 51,000 illegal immigrants deported in April 2025 alone (18% increase year-on-year)
  • 600,000+ people removed or intercepted since GNU formation: 500,000+ stopped at borders, 109,344 deported from inside
  • Weekly bus cost to Malawi: R2.5 million; Thursday's operation: R5 million
  • Malawi needs K1 billion (R9.5 million) to repatriate 3,000+ stranded citizens