The Department of Home Affairs, in collaboration with the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, has confirmed that a priority court was established to process immigration matters involving Malawian nationals.

This comes after approximately 10,000 Malawian nationals stranded in South Africa gathered at Sherwood Park in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, on Wednesday, awaiting assistance to return to Malawi. This is amid anti-immigrant protests across the country.

In response, the Malawian government has appealed for donations and humanitarian support to fund the large-scale repatriation effort. The operation is being coordinated by government agencies, diplomatic officials, and humanitarian partners, who describe the mission as an urgent effort to bring vulnerable citizens back home.

Following a comprehensive verification exercise, the government has noted that 1,876 Malawian nationals are residing in the country in contravention of South Africa’s immigration laws.

The verified contraventions include visa overstays, expired travel documents and undocumented status, all of which constitute grounds for deportation.

According to the Department of Home Affairs, the priority court will operate through a virtual platform at Sherwood Park under the authority of the Durban Magistrate’s Court to facilitate the consideration and confirmation of deportation orders of affected individuals.

The Government of Malawi has facilitated the return of 676 of its nationals as of 15 June 2026, and voluntary repatriation efforts remain ongoing.

The department added that the pace of departures necessitated the implementation of formal deportation processes to ensure the lawful and orderly enforcement of South Africa’s immigration laws.

Particular attention continues to be given to vulnerable groups, including women and children, through coordinated humanitarian support measures.

The department says it will facilitate transport arrangements for those subject to deportation orders. This process comes from the voluntary repatriation programme previously undertaken in cooperation with the Government of Malawi.

“The Department is committed to ensuring that all processes are conducted lawfully, fairly and in accordance with the Constitution. The rights of affected individuals, including the right to procedural fairness and access to legal representation, will be upheld throughout the process.”

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