Kubayi refutes claims of Malawian nationals being bused to Joburg instead of repatriated

Minister of Justice and chairperson of the inter-ministerial committee on migration, Mmamoloko Kubayi has refuted claims of alleged relocation of Malawians being repatriated from Durban to a secret location in Johannesburg.

Image: GCIS

Mmamoloko Kubayi, the Minister of Justice and Chair of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration, has publicly denied claims that many Malawian nationals were transported by bus from Durban to Johannesburg instead of being repatriated to their country.

In a social media post on Monday, Kubayi addressed the allegations directly and assured the public of the integrity of the repatriation process after unverified video clips surfaced showing a group of alleged immigrants gathered in a building.

Kubayi's address was preceded by a site visit and site inspection at Sherwood on Sunday afternoon, where she evaluated the progress being made on the repatriation processes currently under way in the province.

The reports also come as scores of Malawian nationals have taken refuge at Mayors Walk in Pietermaritzburg after fleeing alleged violence in the Jika Joe informal settlement, with many of them also seeking to be returned to the country of their origin.

In Sherwood, Durban, IOL reports that more than 10 000 nationals have since turned the area into a large-scale holding and processing site for Malawians, with humanitarian organisations describing it as a crisis.

The minister's public address came amid growing public concern over the repatriation process.

"We have checked the information. The buses were done outside the government and the IMC. All buses that departed, being processed by the government, are escorted until they cross the border by law enforcement. None of those buses has dropped people in inland South Africa," she clarified. The minister emphasised that the government is committed to ensuring that the repatriated individuals are properly escorted to prevent any unlawful relocations within the country.

Minister of Justice and chairperson of the inter-ministerial committee on migration, Mmamoloko Kubayi, publicly rebuffed claims that these individuals have been redirected to Johannesburg instead of being returned to their homeland

Image: XOLILE MTEMBU

Furthermore, Kubayi informed the public that the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government has launched an investigation into the alarming reports that suggested a network was putting foreign nationals in buses and abandoning them at various venues across Johannesburg.

"Yesterday, KZN got the same report of individuals/organisations putting foreign nationals in buses and dropping them at various venues. This is inhumane and unlawful. Full communication on the matter will be issued once all information has been gathered," she added.

The claims have sparked outrage among some South Africans, who voiced their frustration over the management of the repatriation efforts. The minister's intervention highlights the delicate balance between addressing public concerns and ensuring the humane treatment of individuals affected by migration policies.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation in Malawi, Dr George Chaponda, told the Malawian nationals repatriated from South Africa during an event held at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre to use the skills they have acquired while working there to rebuild their lives.

Further reports from Malawi have indicated that, so far, 2 218 Malawians have already returned home, while 514 are on their way, and about 15 000 are still in South Africa waiting for repatriation.