MEDIA STATEMENT BY ETHEKWINI MUNICIPALITY MAYOR, CLLR CYRIL XABA ON THE IMMEDIATE INTERVENTIONS TO EXPEDITE DEPORTATIONS AT SHERWOOD
The City leadership, together with the Departments of Justice and Constitutional Development, Home Affairs, the South African Police Service (SAPS), and other key stakeholders, has agreed to implement a range of critical interventions within the next 72 hours to accelerate the processing of Malawian nationals who have been accommodated at this site for a prolonged period.
These interventions seek to achieve the following objectives:
•Stabilise the situation at this site (Sherwood).
•Reduce humanitarian and public health risks.
•Support the ongoing processing of migrants.
•Expedite deportation processes.
ESTABLISHMENT OF A STAGING AREA
Following the rapid increase in the number of people at this site, the Municipality has activated the Drive-In Site to alleviate pressure on the Sherwood site, improve conditions, and enhance the coordinated management of affected individuals.
The Drive-In Site is a staging area intended to serve as an overflow site, reducing overcrowding at Sherwood and fast track deportation process.
To facilitate the relocation of people from Sherwood to the Drive-In Site, eThekwini Municipality has deployed 10 buses. Four of these buses will operate continuously between Sherwood, the Drive-In Site, and the Magistrate's Court to support processing and deportation activities.
To ensure the safety and security of everyone, additional security personnel have been deployed at the Drive-In Site. SAPS will continue to maintain a strong presence at both facilities to ensure order and assist with crowd management.
Police officers will also assist in verifying whether individuals scheduled for deportation have any pending criminal cases.
HUMANITARIAN SUPPORT
The Municipality has increased the number of ablution facilities and expanded waste management capacity at both sites.
Water tankers have been deployed to augment water supply.
The Department of Health is providing healthcare services, including ambulances and mobile clinics. We are also working to install additional lighting to improve safety and security, particularly during night-time operations.
PROCESSING AND DEPORTATION OPERATIONS
The two sites will continue to support daily processing, verification, and deportation operations in collaboration with the Department of Home Affairs, SAPS, the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, and other relevant agencies.
As stakeholders, we have agreed that, in order to expedite the process, we must move beyond voluntary repatriation and implement formal deportation procedures where applicable and in accordance with the law.
DEDICATED COURTS
Under South African immigration laws, each undocumented foreign national must be processed individually before deportation can take place.
This process includes identity verification, the issuing of the necessary legal documentation, and an appearance before a court to ensure compliance with due process and the protection of constitutional rights.
Once these legal requirements have been met, deportation may proceed.
To accelerate the process, a virtual court linked to the Durban Regional Court has already been established at the Sherwood site.
We wish to commend the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development for this important intervention.
The Department has further committed to establishing six additional courts dedicated exclusively to processing these matters.
This intervention is intended to increase capacity and expedite the handling of cases.
The Department of Home Affairs and Legal Aid South Africa have also committed to deploying additional officials to support the courts and ensure the efficient processing of all cases.
To date, 1458 people have been deported, with 19 buses are en-route to Malawi.
We wish to reaffirm our commitment to supporting national government departments and all relevant stakeholders to ensure that this process is conducted efficiently, lawfully, and with due regard for the rights and dignity of all affected persons.
We also take this opportunity to thank all stakeholders involved in this process, including non-governmental organisations and the business community, for their continued support.
Government cannot address this situation alone; collaboration across all sectors of society remains essential to achieving a sustainable solution.
ENDS
