world
Police Use Rubber Bullets at Durban Transit Site After Men Refuse Transfer
Police fired stun grenades and rubber bullets at Malawian nationals gathered at Sherwood Hall in Durban after men refused transfer to a repatriation center. Women at the site were placed on buses for direct return to Malawi while men were directed to facilities with court processing capacity.
citizen.co.zaAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Developing·Limited corroboration so far. This page will refresh as more sources emerge.
Police fired stun grenades and rubber bullets at Malawian nationals at Sherwood Hall in Durban on Wednesday after men at the transit site refused orders to board vans for transfer to the Lindela Repatriation Centre. The crowd responded by throwing stones and bottles at police.
One man at the site said authorities had told the group they would be taken to Malawi, and questioned why they were being directed into vans instead of buses heading home.
Hall currently holds more than 10,000 people and has exceeded capacity. Officials said the transfer of men to Lindela allows women and children to receive priority placement on repatriation buses while men facing formal deportation proceedings can be processed through court infrastructure at the center.
A virtual priority court has been set up to handle cases of people found to be in the country without legal status. Officials identified at least 1,876 individuals at the site as undocumented or in violation of immigration requirements.
KwaZulu-Natal officials mobilized an emergency response to address conditions at the site. The Malawian government continues to seek donations to support the broader repatriation operation.
