Relocation of Durban migrants to Lindela centre

The KwaZulu-Natal government and the South African Department of Home Affairs initiated the relocation of migrants from a makeshift camp outside the Home Affairs Refugee Reception Centre in Durban. The group, consisting of approximately 278 to 300 individuals from countries including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Uganda, Mozambique, and Tanzania, had been living on the streets since May following displacement caused by anti-illegal immigration protests in June.

Following a directive from the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration, displaced individuals were given the choice to return to their previous communities or move to the Lindela Repatriation Centre in Gauteng. Most individuals selected the Lindela facility, citing security risks and difficult living conditions on the streets, though some expressed reluctance regarding the conditions at the repatriation centre.

Law enforcement officers have been deployed to escort the group to ensure public order. While the transition is underway, the government is continuing discussions with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) regarding resettlement options, and the organization Gift of the Givers has provided food parcels to assist during the move.