Hundreds of Malawian nationals gathered outside their country's embassy in Johannesburg on Tuesday, July 15th, 2026, amid ongoing forced returns of migrants from South Africa. The surge in deportations follows a series of sometimes violent protests against illegal immigration.

South African officials reported that over 53,000 African immigrants were deported or repatriated within a month, with more than 80% originating from Malawi, according to South Africa's justice minister. Some Malawians were repatriated voluntarily with assistance from their government, while many others were officially deported for lacking proper documentation.

The crackdown on undocumented immigrants coincided with anti-migrant groups holding a major protest on June 30th, 2026, demanding that undocumented immigrants leave South Africa by that date—a deadline the government rejected.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced new plans last month to strengthen border security and enforce immigration laws in the country, Africa's most developed economy. Several African countries have facilitated transport to repatriate their citizens amid rising anti-immigrant sentiment and attacks on foreigners.

Among those waiting to return was Bashil Austin, a Malawian migrant who appealed for his government’s help, citing fears for his safety in South Africa.

Malawian migrants were also seen queued for deportation at a temporary center in Durban on June 19th, 2026.

Sources