The repatriation of thousands of Malawian nationals who have been sheltering at Sherwood Park in Durban is expected to continue until Tuesday, as buses transport families back to Malawi following days of uncertainty and delays.
The first group of returnees began departing on Sunday after buses commissioned for the operation arrived at the park. The number of Malawian nationals gathered at the site has grown to approximately 7,000 since last week, with many claiming they fled their communities after allegedly receiving threats from anti-illegal immigration groups.
The repatriation process was initially scheduled to begin on Saturday but was delayed due to documentation issues involving the Malawian Embassy.
To facilitate the operation, the Malawian government deployed eight buses to transport its citizens, while the South African government provided an additional ten buses to help accelerate the process.
Ward councillor Warren Burne confirmed on Sunday evening that four buses carrying more than 341 people had already departed for Malawi.
Burne said his role was limited to supporting the operation through municipal services and monitoring developments.
"I have no influence in the whole process of repatriation and the legalities of it. All I'm trying to do is to facilitate the provision of municipal resources in the form of water and refuse services and just get an understanding of what the delays are," he said.
"I have made suggestions about various things along the way. I will be monitoring the repatriation process."
Authorities are continuing to coordinate the large-scale operation, with the remaining buses expected to transport thousands more people over the coming days as the temporary camp at Sherwood Park is gradually cleared.