The KwaZulu-Natal provincial government says it will not, for now, pursue a court order to evict approximately 1,600 Malawian nationals who have taken shelter in an abandoned municipal building in Pietermaritzburg.
The group began occupying the condemned structure in the city centre following the killing of a Malawian national at the Jika Joe informal settlement on Friday night, an incident that triggered tensions and displacement.
According to the provincial Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, MEC Martin Meyer said engineers have assessed the building and confirmed that while it is not fit for human habitation, it does not pose an imminent risk of structural collapse.
Authorities have since begun verification processes and are working on plans for possible repatriation of those affected.
Meyer said the provincial government’s response is being guided by humanitarian considerations, despite the illegal occupation of the property.
“Because this is a humanitarian crisis, we have made the decision not to seek legal eviction at this time, while the option remains open to us, but because of our responsibility in a humanitarian crisis we will allow the foreign nationals to remain in the building while the other site is being prepared and they are moved there,” Meyer said.
He stressed that the occupation remains unlawful, noting that no permission was granted for the building to be used as shelter.
Officials say relocation efforts will proceed once suitable alternative accommodation has been secured.