Tensions boiled over outside the Sherwood Hall grounds in Durban on Monday when a large group of Malawian nationals confronted anti-illegal immigration activist Ngizwe Mchunu and members of the March and March movement.
Police were forced to intervene after the crowd, many carrying sticks and chanting slogans, reacted angrily to Mchunu's presence near the temporary camp where thousands of Malawian nationals have been sheltering since last week.
The group said they were willing to return to Malawi but viewed Mchunu's appearance at the site as provocative, given his public stance on illegal immigration.
"This guy must go, we do not want to see his face here. He must go back," one Malawian national shouted.
"He said we must leave the country, we are leaving, what is he doing here now? He must not come here, these people are angry and they are going to hit him... he is going to die here," the man added.
Police officers quickly formed a barrier between the groups and managed to calm the situation before violence broke out.
The Malawian nationals have been camping at the Sherwood Hall grounds after reportedly fleeing their homes across KwaZulu-Natal amid fears sparked by anti-migrant protests and calls for the removal of undocumented foreign nationals.
Earlier this month, the Malawian government announced plans to begin the voluntary repatriation of its citizens living in South Africa. On Sunday, seven buses arrived in Durban to transport returnees back to Malawi, although many people remain at the camp while awaiting further information about the process.
The Department of Home Affairs has confirmed that about 1,100 Malawians who have been processed for repatriation are in South Africa illegally.
Meanwhile, the number of Malawian nationals seeking refuge at Sherwood Hall has surged dramatically. What began as a group of around 75 people has grown to an estimated 6,000 within six days, with more individuals continuing to arrive at the site.
Authorities are continuing to monitor the situation closely as repatriation efforts proceed and concerns over safety and social tensions remain high.