Johannesburg – The Joburg Crisis Alliance (JCA) is calling on the City of Johannesburg and national authorities to intervene urgently to prevent a humanitarian crisis involving Malawian nationals gathered in South Hills.
“Growing numbers of Malawian nationals are congregating in the area while awaiting voluntary repatriation,” warned the JCA.
“While civil society organisations are currently providing temporary food and shelter, this community-led intervention is unsustainable without coordinated state planning.
“With anti-migrant groups enforcing a June 30 deadline, fear and logistical backlogs are escalating rapidly.”
The JCA said it remains deeply concerned that Johannesburg faces a repeat of the recent crisis in Sherwood, eThekwini, where delayed state action left thousands of displaced migrants stranded, straining local resources and heightening community tensions.
The JCA demands an immediate, integrated response from the City of Johannesburg, the Department of Home Affairs, and the Malawian High Commission to:
• Activate Disaster Management Structures: Coordinate logistics between municipal departments, SAPS, and humanitarian bodies.
• Provide Safe Temporary Shelter: Identify a secure municipal facility with adequate sanitation, healthcare, and social support.
• Accelerate Repatriation Logistics: Resolve cross-border transport permits immediately to speed up travel arrangements.
• Increase Law Enforcement Visibility: Deploy SAPS and JMPD to ensure public safety and prevent xenophobic violence.
• Conduct Social Assessments: Prioritise vulnerable groups, including pregnant women, the elderly, and children.
“While the Office of the Executive Mayor has indicated that a briefing is being prepared via the provincial security cluster, civil society cannot shoulder this operational burden alone,” said the JCA.
“Authorities must act transparently and decisively now to maintain public confidence and community stability.”
