POLICE moved 50 people, including babies, displaced in a xenophobic attack at Burnwood informal settlement in Durban to Sherwood Hall.
More than 100 Malawians who were kicked out of their houses in Durban are pleading to return to their home country.
They were forced from their homes during an attack on foreign nationals last week.
Many of them say the incident was the ‘last straw’ and now seek repatriation back to Malawi.
The attacks on Malawians started after a Malawian was allegedly found in possession of stolen goods belonging to a South African.
“This unfortunate situation was then hijacked by a group of locals who started kicking out other Malawians in the name of getting rid of ‘criminal elements’,” said Gumede in a statement.
As a sign of extending an olive branch, the Malawians wrote a letter apologising for those who had committed crime and this gesture was overwhelmingly welcomed by the locals who indicated that they were ready to welcome the Malawians back into the community.
Gumede said the integration and repatriation processes were at advanced stages and the eThekwini municipality was confident that by Wednesday all processes would have been concluded.
“We have managed to return the situation to normality. A large group of Malawian nationals has opted to return to Burnwood informal settlement.
“However, we have about 105 Malawians who have asked to be repatriated. We are helping them together with the International Organisation for Immigration and the Malawi High Commission,” she said.
