eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba has asked Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber to urgently intervene after hundreds of foreign nationals who were processed by immigration officials remained camped outside the Department of Home Affairs offices in Durban.

Xaba said the group should be moved to suitable temporary accommodation, warning that the situation had become a humanitarian concern, particularly for women and children sleeping on the streets.

The group had gathered outside Durban’s Diakonia Centre last week, saying they feared for their safety in several KZN communities because of rising anti-immigration tensions.

On Thursday, an integrated team including eThekwini Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal police, the Department of Home Affairs and other government departments intervened to verify the legal status of those gathered at the centre.

The group was transported by bus to the Department of Home Affairs’ Durban Refugee Reception Centre on Che Guevara Road, where 457 foreign nationals were processed.

Officials found that 455 had valid documentation, while two were identified as being in the country illegally. One person was arrested for allegedly having a fraudulent permit, while another had a rejected asylum application. Five others had expired permits but were in the process of renewal.

Despite the verification process, many of the migrants refused to return to communities including Redhill, Avoca and surrounding areas, saying they feared intimidation, forced removals and violence linked to the anti-immigration tensions.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Xaba said the municipality did not have the capacity or facilities to accommodate displaced foreign nationals.

“They cannot be allowed to remain on the streets without access to basic necessities, especially in a country that prides itself on a culture of human rights,” Xaba said.

He said the municipality was prepared to support any intervention led by Home Affairs, including providing transport and deploying Metro Police officers to ensure a safe and orderly relocation.

Xaba said eThekwini was already under pressure as a disaster-prone city still housing flood victims in temporary emergency accommodation.

“I also want to stress the importance of tightening controls in the immigration offices and the elimination of fraud to ensure that permits are given to deserving asylum seekers,” he said.

The Durban standoff comes amid rising anti-immigration protests in parts of the country and renewed pressure on authorities to verify the legal status of foreign nationals.

In Katlehong, Ekurhuleni, residents on Monday marched to a local police station, demanding that the South African Police Service and the Department of Home Affairs verify the legal status of foreign nationals, including business owners operating in the area.

In Bloemfontein, a shutdown called by the National Service Delivery Forum was marred by looting and violence after alleged gang groups and some community members targeted shops, most of them owned by foreign nationals.

The shutdown, announced by National Service Delivery Forum leader Potso Motoko, was meant to highlight poor service delivery, unemployment and concerns about undocumented foreign nationals allegedly selling drugs and illicit goods.

Tensions escalated on Sunday night in parts of Mangaung before spreading to other neighbourhoods. Police arrested about 100 people after several shops were looted overnight and into Monday morning.

Meanwhile, Ghanaian authorities said about 300 Ghanaian nationals in South Africa were processed on Sunday ahead of a planned repatriation flight on Wednesday, 27 May.

Officials said about 800 Ghanaian nationals had registered for voluntary repatriation.

In a post on X, Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said: “I told Ghanaians in South Africa, ‘Your government has got you.’”

“Looking forward to welcoming our compatriots back to Ghana this week.”

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The eThekwini Municipality has issued an urgent warning to residents following a Level 4 severe weather alert expected to affect the metro from Tuesday into Wednesday evening.

According to the municipality, the warning by the South African Weather Service (SAWS) forecasts severe thunderstorms that are expected to affect parts of KwaZulu-Natal, with eThekwini among the areas covered by the Level 4 alert.

“The forecast indicates heavy downpours, strong damaging winds, excessive lightning and hail, all of which pose a serious risk to life, property and infrastructure,” the municipality said in a statement.

Residents living in flood-prone areas, particularly informal settlements, have been identified as the most vulnerable.

The municipality urged these communities to take extra precautions to safeguard their lives and belongings.

“Residents are encouraged to remain indoors where possible and avoid unnecessary travel. Motorists should reduce speed and maintain safe following distances on wet roads,” the statement read.

The municipality also warned against attempting to cross swollen rivers or streams, especially where water levels exceed ankle height.

The municipality said emergency services and the Disaster Management Directorate are on high alert.

“Our teams are ready to respond to any incidents arising from the severe weather conditions,” it said.

Residents have been advised to stay updated through official municipal communication platforms as the situation develops.

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eThekwini Municipality is calling on nature lovers, wildlife enthusiasts and citizen scientists to take part in the City Nature Challenge 2026, a global biodiversity event running from 24 to 27 April.

The annual challenge sees cities compete to document local biodiversity, with residents encouraged to help showcase the plants, animals, fungi and other wildlife found across eThekwini.

Residents can take part by joining one or more organised observation sessions at conservation sites across the municipality.

The programme begins on 24 April at KwaNyuswa, led by Bheka Memela and Nolwandle Zulu, who can be contacted on 060 308 5874 and 078 390 1692.

Upper Glenholme will also host a session on the same day, led by Greg Mullins on 073 174 8338.

Other 24 April sites include Roosefontein from 8am, led by Bheka Nxele on 062 642 3250 or 082 780 9499;

Forest Hills from 11am, led by Nokuphila Buthelezi on 031 322 7834 or 078 747 7677;

Buffelsdraai from 8am, led by Thembelihle Mokoti and Monica Ndlovu on 031 311 7382, 076 552 6621 or 078 660 7921;

and Burman Bush Nature Reserve, led by Bashesile Thusi on 083 414 2017.

On 25 April, KwaXimba will host observations led by Memela and Zulu, while New Germany Nature Reserve will host a session led by Sthembile Nsibande, who can be contacted on 068 525 6279.

The final listed session will take place at Kwa Cele on 27 April, again led by Memela and Zulu.

Participants are asked to download the iNaturalist app and create an account before taking clear photos of any living or dead organisms, including plants, animals, fungi, shells, tracks and signs, found in their gardens, neighbourhoods, parks, conservation areas or beaches.

They must then upload their observations on the iNaturalist app using the eThekwini Project Link provided for the challenge.

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Retired KwaZulu-Natal Judge President Achmat Naeem Jappie died this week, Chief Justice Mandisa Maya said, describing him as a distinguished jurist who served South Africa with honour and integrity.

Jappie was born in Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape and moved to Durban shortly afterwards, where he lived until his death.

Maya said he was appointed to the Bench in 1998 and went on to serve for more than two decades.

During his judicial career, Jappie served as Deputy Judge President before later being appointed Judge President of the KwaZulu-Natal Division of the High Court. He also served as an acting judge of the Constitutional Court and had a short stint at the Labour Appeal Court, the Judiciary said.

The Judiciary said Jappie was widely admired for his calm temperament, fairness, humility and commitment to justice, and was respected by colleagues, legal practitioners and court users for his integrity and deep knowledge of the law.

Following his retirement in 2021, he continued to serve the country, including as chairperson of a Judicial Conduct Tribunal.

“His passing is a great loss to the Judiciary and the legal profession,” Maya said in a statement.

She extended condolences to his wife, Judge Soraya Hassim, his children, family, friends, colleagues and others touched by his life and service.

President Cyril Ramaphosa also paid tribute to Jappie, saying he had been a longstanding champion of justice through his contribution to South African jurisprudence and the administration of the courts.

In a message on X, Ramaphosa said he also appreciated Jappie’s service on tribunals dealing with judicial conduct and said the retired judge had helped entrench the rule of law.

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Flooded roads, fallen trees and damaged vehicles caused widespread disruption across parts of eThekwini on Sunday night after severe storms swept through the city and other parts of KwaZulu-Natal.

The worst impact in eThekwini was reported in the central and southern parts of the city, where municipal officials logged 22 incidents, particularly in Chatsworth and Morningside.

Western areas, such as Westville, recorded 13 incidents, while seven were reported in the north, with Newlands West among the hardest-hit areas.

KwaZulu-Natal’s cooperative governance and traditional affairs department (Cogta) said the storms, which also affected Pietermaritzburg, were marked by gale-force winds, thunder and hail, uprooting trees, damaging power lines and flooding major roads.

The department said technical assessments were under way in both regions to determine the full extent of the damage and that no fatalities had been reported by Monday morning.

eThekwini municipality said its disaster management teams, working with parks officials, were deployed immediately after the storm and remained on the ground clearing obstructions, managing flooded areas, and trying to restore access on affected routes.

The city said numerous roads had been submerged, vehicles damaged and key routes blocked by fallen trees, causing major traffic disruption in several areas.

Provincial authorities said the provincial disaster management centre was coordinating with affected municipalities as mop-up operations got under way to clear debris and restore services.

The municipality urged residents to avoid flooded roads and to report hazards such as fallen trees, blocked routes and damaged power lines through official channels.

It also warned motorists not to attempt to cross waterlogged roads, saying floodwaters could be deeper and more dangerous than they appeared.

The South African Weather Service forecast cooler, unsettled conditions for Durban, with temperatures of 24 degrees Celsius and 20 degrees Celsius on Monday, followed by 22 degrees and 19 degrees on Tuesday.

In its regional forecast for Tuesday, SAWS said isolated showers and thundershowers were expected over the northern and eastern parts of the country, while winds along the coast would be moderate to fresh south-easterly to southerly before easing later in the day.

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eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba says Durban is fully prepared for the Easter holidays, with beaches open, safety plans in place, and tourism activities lined up as the city readies for a major influx of visitors.

Speaking during a media briefing on Sunday, Xaba said the municipality had implemented a comprehensive plan to ensure a safe and memorable holiday period.

“As a city, we are ready to receive thousands of local and international visitors who will be descending on our shores,” Xaba said.

“We want to assure our visitors that we have put in place a comprehensive plan to guarantee their safety on the roads, beaches, and at other places of entertainment.”

The city said it is expecting a similar trend to the 2025 festive season over the Easter weekend, with projections indicating that more than 1.2 million visitors could descend on Durban, injecting a direct spend of about R2.65 billion into the local economy.

Average accommodation occupancy is expected to be 62%, while the creation of employment opportunities is estimated at 16,000.

“It is important to indicate that the Easter holidays come at a particularly exciting time for our city, as we have recently been ranked among the world’s top destinations by Time Out Worldwide,” Xaba said.

“In its recently released list of The Best Places to Travel in 2026, Durban secured an impressive 14th position out of 100 global cities.”

He said the ranking reflected the work being done with the private sector to maintain and expand tourism infrastructure in the city.

“This achievement tells a compelling story about the work we are doing, in collaboration with the private sector, to maintain and expand tourism infrastructure in the city,” he said.

“Our main goal is to ensure that when visitors come to Durban, they stay longer and spend their money here.”

Xaba said visitors could look forward to a vibrant line-up of events and activities during Easter, while families would also have access to holiday programmes for children at uShaka Marine Theme Park, Mitchell Park Zoo and the Durban Botanic Gardens.

“These programmes are designed to keep young minds active, entertained, and engaged during the school holidays,” he said.

More than 1,000 officers will be on duty across the municipality throughout the holiday period, patrolling streets, beaches and places of entertainment around the clock, he said.

“As a city, we have pulled out all the stops to ensure high police visibility,” Xaba said.

He said road safety enforcement would also be stepped up.

“We have increased patrols on freeways to address jaywalking by pedestrians. Over 20 multidisciplinary roadblocks will be conducted during this period, focusing on all forms of crime, including drinking and driving.”

Xaba said all 23 bathing beaches were open and safe for swimming.

“This is a testament to the investment we continue to make in repairing and upgrading sanitation infrastructure.”

The municipality will deploy 200 lifeguards daily from 6am to 6pm.

“We urge beachgoers to cooperate with lifeguards by swimming in designated areas and avoiding swimming under the influence of alcohol,” he said.

Xaba said water quality monitoring would also be intensified during the holiday period.

“Under normal circumstances, testing is conducted every two weeks. However, during the holiday period, we increase the frequency to once a week to leave nothing to chance,” he said.

He also sought to reassure residents and visitors about water supply over the Easter period, saying the planned Southern Aqueduct shutdown would not disrupt holiday plans.

“As a city, we want to assure our visitors and residents of a stable and reliable water supply during this period,” Xaba said.

“The planned shutdown of the Southern Aqueduct, which will take place from tomorrow until Tuesday morning for pipeline upgrades, will not adversely affect our Easter holiday plans.”

He said inflows to the Durban Heights Water Treatment Works had returned to normal levels following repairs to the control valve on the Nagle Dam aqueduct system.

“Currently, inflows at the treatment works stand at 625 megalitres per day, with outflows at 580 megalitres per day. This means that most areas supplied by Durban Heights have fully recovered,” he said.

“We therefore assure residents and visitors of uninterrupted water supply during this period and beyond.”

On housing for flood victims, Xaba said 113 houses in Cornubia would be completed by the end of April, allowing relocations to begin.

“I am pleased to share with you that, by the end of April, we will begin relocating families, as 113 houses in Cornubia will have been completed,” he said.

“These houses form part of the first phase of 1,200 units scheduled for completion by the end of this year.”

He added that progress was also being made at Montclair Lodge, where 500 units are being refurbished, with more than 300 rooms expected to be completed by May.

“I am confident that by the end of June, we will have made significant strides in this regard,” he said.

Xaba said the city’s proposed R74.6 billion budget for the 2026/2027 financial year was aimed at improving services and supporting economic growth.

“The proposed budget of R74.6 billion is focused on accelerating service delivery and growing the city’s economy through extensive investment in bulk electricity, water, and sanitation infrastructure,” he said.

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The South African Police Service (SAPS) National Task Team (NTT), deployed in Emanguzi in the northern parts of KwaZulu-Natal to curb and combat cross-border crime, has secured another conviction of a vehicle smuggler.

The area is on the border of Mozambique. 

Since April 2025, the task team has apprehended 96 suspects for various offences, confiscated 16 illegal firearms, including imitation weapons, and recovered 67 stolen vehicles, as well as one truck.

The Mtubatuba Regional Court this week sentenced 45-year-old Mpumelelo Cloud Goba after he pleaded guilty to the theft of a Toyota Fortuner valued at more than R700,000. The vehicle was stolen from a parking lot in Durban Central in August 2024. 

Goba was handed an effective seven-year prison sentence, with half of the term suspended for five years on condition that he is not convicted of a similar offence during that period. 

The vehicle, which had been fitted with fraudulent registration plates, was intercepted en route to Emanguzi, where it was due to be handed over to another individual for smuggling into Mozambique.

Goba was arrested and charged with motor vehicle theft. Investigators opposed his bail application in the Hluhluwe District Court, ensuring he remained in custody until his case was transferred and finalised at the Mtubatuba Regional Court.

Authorities say the sentence highlights the Emanguzi Task Team’s firm resolve and continued efforts to decisively tackle cross-border crimes, particularly the smuggling of stolen vehicles from South Africa to neighbouring countries such as Mozambique.

The Task Team said it remains committed to intensifying operations in northern KwaZulu-Natal and surrounding areas, with a focus on crimes including vehicle theft and smuggling, robbery, carjacking, illegal possession of firearms, murder, attempted murder, and related violent offences.

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Four bodies have been recovered after six people were swept away while trying to cross a low-lying bridge in KwaZulu-Natal.

Two men remain missing as search teams continue operations across multiple municipalities, the KZN Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs said on Saturday.

The victims were swept away on Thursday after their vehicle attempted to cross a low-lying bridge in eNadi, eMabovini, in the uMsinga Local Municipality at night.

While two individuals managed to escape the vehicle and reach safety, six others were carried away by the floodwaters.

The department said two female bodies were recovered on Friday, with the first found in the iNadi River in uMsinga and the second in the uThukela River on the Nkandla Local Municipality side.

On Saturday, search teams recovered two more bodies from the uThukela River, a female on the uMsinga side and a male at eMakhabeleni in the uMvoti Local Municipality.

One of the deceased women was pregnant, the department said. The victims identified so far are aged between 25 and 40.

The South African Weather Service had issued a Yellow Level 4 warning for severe thunderstorms in the province for Friday, 6 March, warning of heavy downpours, damaging winds, excessive lightning, hail, localised flooding and possible impacts on bridges and roads.

“The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), through the Provincial Disaster Management Centre, continues to coordinate search and recovery operations following Thursday’s tragic incident in the uMsinga Local Municipality,” the department said in a statement.

“MEC for COGTA, Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi, has extended his deepest condolences to the bereaved families.”

The department said Buthelezi had also praised the emergency teams involved in the operation.

Two males remain missing and teams were continuing to work around the clock, the department said.

“The Department, in coordination with the uMsinga Local Municipality, is in constant liaison with the affected families to provide the necessary support during this period,” it said.

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Search-and-rescue teams continued operations into Saturday after a multi-storey structure under construction collapsed at a Hindu temple site in Redcliffe, near Verulam, north of Durban, leaving at least one person dead and others trapped.

Emergency responders worked to reach people believed to be under heavy concrete slabs, while a number of injured workers were treated at the scene and transported to hospital, according to rescue services.

Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) spokesperson Prem Balram said some survivors had been able to communicate from beneath the rubble, including via voice notes. He said the collapse happened during a ready-mix concrete pouring operation.

eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba visited the scene on Friday night. He said the city would implement “consequence management” if an investigation found any laws were flouted.

The cause of the collapse has not been officially determined and remains under investigation, with additional resources mobilised to support extrication and medical response.

The municipality, however, said on Friday that preliminary information indicated no building plans had been approved for the structure, which would render it illegal.

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The ANC Waterberg has elected new regional leadership following its 10th Regional Conference held in Bela-Bela, Limpopo, over the weekend.

The conference, covering the Waterberg Region, began with sub-regions of Bela-Bela and Modimolle-Mookgophong casting their votes.

Delivering the keynote address, ANC NEC member and deployee to Limpopo, Bathabile Dlamini, called for unity and collective renewal within the party to strengthen its ability to deliver services.

Waterberg district municipality’s executive mayor Moloko Maeko was elected Regional Chairperson, deputised by Thulani Ngoako Taueatsola. Rufus Mahoro was elected Regional Secretary, with Andries Lekalakala as his deputy, while Elsie Ndhlovu was elected Regional Treasurer.

The conference had previously been postponed in May to allow disgruntled members time to resolve disputes over nominations.

Despite ongoing infighting, it proceeded this weekend after surviving two interdict applications lodged in the Pretoria High Court and the Johannesburg High Court.

Both applications, brought by Grammy Papo and Titus Seabe, were dismissed, clearing the way for the gathering to continue.

ANC Limpopo Provincial Secretary Reuben Madadzhe welcomed the rulings, celebrating the court victories with party branches.

He confirmed that the Johannesburg High Court struck the matter off the roll, ruling that the application lacked urgency and ordering costs against the applicants.

“The case was struck off the roll because it lacked urgency, and costs were awarded to the ANC,” Madadzhe said.

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