Virtual court set up in Sherwood for Malawian repatriation drive

By Charmaine Ndlela

A virtual priority court has been established in Durban to process immigration matters involving Malawian nationals gathered at Sherwood Park.

This follows a verification process by the Department of Home Affairs, which found that 1,876 Malawian nationals processed so far at the site did not have a valid immigration status. There are about 7000 Malawian nationals at the park area. They fled there over the weekend after being chased by locals from various informal settlements.

The immigration violations include visa overstays, expired permits and undocumented status, which can trigger deportation processes under the Immigration Act.

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The priority court is operating through a virtual platform linked to the Durban Magistrate’s Court, allowing immigration matters from Sherwood Park to be heard without transporting large numbers of people through the city.

Deputy Justice Minister Andries Nel