Foreign nationals seeking shelter at the Diakonia Centre are being bused out to be processed at the Home Affairs offices in Moore Road, Durban.
Image: Doctor Ngcobo/Independent Newspapers
Verification processes are under way for about 200 foreign nationals who had gathered at the Diakonia Centre in Durban this week after fearing alleged threats and violence at their homes and places of work in the CBD.
The group of foreigners, which includes refugees and asylum seekers, had stayed overnight at the centre on Wednesday and were provided food and other aid by humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers.
Tensions flared on Thursday when anti-immigrant group March and March and the MK Party gathered outside the centre. March and March have been involved in several protests against illegal immigration in the province and in Gauteng.
The MK Party has also voiced its opposition to illegal immigration. The police were deployed to the scene and Durban mayor Cyril Xaba also attended.
By late Thursday afternoon, journalists on the scene reported that the group was being be taken to a Home Affairs facility in Moore Road, Durban for official processing.
The NATJOINTS statement said about 200 foreign nationals had gathered at the centre as they said they feared for their lives due to threats.
Image: Doctor Ngcobo / Independent Newspapers
According to a statement from the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS), a targeted verification process of all the foreign nationals will be carried out, led by an integrated team involving the Departments of Home Affairs (DHA), Social Development, Transport and Law Enforcement in the province.
“This follows an engagement between the Southern African Refugee Forum, which represents the foreign nationals that are currently gathered at the centre and senior officials of the NATJOINTS represented by the Department of Home Affairs and Law Enforcement authorities in the province of KwaZulu Natal.
“About two hundred foreign nationals have sought refuge at the centre allegedly because they fear for their lives, which is threatened by anti-illegal immigrant groups in their various areas of abode. Working with law enforcement to resolve the dire situation that arose almost two days ago, the NATJOINTS has undertaken to verify the status of all the foreign nationals that are gathered at the centre to determine their legal status in the country.”
The NATJOINTS said the verification process is not meant to legitimise the illegal stay of undocumented foreign nationals in the country but to ensure that those who are here legally are duly protected and the undocumented ones are subjected to the immigration laws processes accordingly.
KZN police provincial spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said: "This process will be conducted with the integrated team of NATJOINTS to ensure that we attend to all the issues associated with this illegal occupation of the centre".
He added that those who are found to be in the country illegally will be processed back to their country of origin immediately.
Meanwhile the South African Police Service (SAPS) in eThekwini is following up on various allegations of assault against the group of foreign nationals and other cases reported relating to intimidation, malicious damage to property and closure of businesses.
The Acting Provincial Commissioner, Major General Phumelela Makoba said all cases that have been reported will be duly investigated.
The integrated team has assured members of the public who are concerned about the turn of events that the situation will be resolved as a matter of urgency. They also emphasised that the matter of illegal immigration is receiving continued attention from government.
The statement noted that since 1 January 2026 to date, the SAPS has arrested 29 731 illegal foreign nationals during various high-density operations conducted nationwide.
In the previous financial year, a total of 76 588 illegal foreign nationals were arrested. Meanwhile, the Department of Home Affairs has deported 59 814 undocumented foreign nationals in the past financial year, which is an indication of the intensity of these operations.
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