Cape Town – Thousands of Zimbabwean nationals have been transported back to Zimbabwe after spending four days at the Shallcross sports field in KwaZulu-Natal.
According to IOL, buses, escorted by a strong police presence, arrived on Thursday to transport people and their belongings after they had sought refuge at the grounds.
The Zimbabwean nationals had travelled from various parts of KwaZulu-Natal after allegedly receiving threats from anti-illegal immigration groups that had been moving through suburbs, businesses and informal settlements, demanding that undocumented migrants leave South Africa by 30 June.
Hundreds of Zimbabwean🇿🇼 nationals voluntarily left South Africa🇿🇦 due to fear of xenophobic violence sparked by anti-immigrant demonstrations.
Departing Zimbabweans🇿🇼 were surprised to learn that leaving under these circumstances results in a five-year ban from re-entering… pic.twitter.com/pIn2iIHw13
— Business Insider Africa (@BusInsiderSSA) July 2, 2026
Residents of Shallcross raised concerns over the humanitarian situation as those sheltering at the sports field had been without tents, adequate shelter or ablution facilities since arriving on Monday.
Community leaders, who asked not to be identified, feared the situation could escalate into a crisis similar to the one in Sherwood, where Malawian nationals previously sought refuge.
Meanwhile, ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula said illegal immigration could not be resolved through violence, anarchy or disruptions to the country’s economy.
Speaking during a media briefing, Mbalula said government was already taking action to address illegal immigration and urged municipalities to play their part.
ANC SG Fikile Mbalula says the June 30 anti-illegal migration shutdown was a failure because South Africa largely continued to function normally despite calls for a nationwide protest. pic.twitter.com/DV2Azti4tu
— MDN NEWS (@MDNnewss) July 2, 2026
“Government is acting now and has been acting. Local government must act and we don’t need summits but action when it comes to illegal immigration. We thank the security forces for ensuring that violence was limited,” he said.
Mbalula also said there was no need for citizens to stage weekly marches every Thursday that would disrupt the country, stressing instead that government should continue implementing measures to tackle illegal immigration.
Fikile Mbalula says illegal immigration has become a burden for South Africa. pic.twitter.com/hENs0yJNb5
— MDN NEWS (@MDNnewss) July 2, 2026
He further described the planned 30 June anti-illegal immigration shutdown as a failure, saying South Africa continued to function largely as normal despite calls for a nationwide protest. However, he acknowledged that illegal immigration remains a burden on the country.
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Compiled by Glaan Sibuyi
