5 June 2026
A mother and her child in Kleinmond on a bus back to Malawi. Photos: Ashraf Hendricks
Dozens of mothers and babies on their backs, and men carrying suitcases, lined up in Kleinmond on Friday afternoon to board buses back to Malawi.
Three buses, arranged by the Malawian government, were filled.
Hundreds of people had staged a march in the coastal Western Cape town on Sunday morning, demanding that immigrants leave the area. Many people had fled their homes and spent the night in the mountains and in the dunes.
Winston Masupula stood in line, helping his wife carry a heavy suitcase. He’d been living in Kleinmond for about a year.
“They went door-to-door to chase us and said that they are going to kill us,” he said. “It’s better to go home. We have a lot of good to do there.”
Victims’ documents had been checked earlier in the week. Those who had valid papers were allowed to stay in the country, but those who did not were advised to be voluntarily repatriated.
A woman with a baby on her back and a suitcase on her head boards a bus.
“I do not feel well. They wanted to force me out,” said another man. “I came to South Africa to achieve goals, but now you must fail.”
Another man in the line said he has been working as a security guard in South Africa and sent money home when he could. He was looking forward to getting back to Malawi. “The violence is not right,” he said.
Kleinmond ward councillor Grant Cohen said the municipality would remain on high alert. “This xenophobia talk has popped up before. It’s not the first time,” he said.
Dozens of people line up to board buses back to Malawi.
We found a similar scene in Gansbaai, where a protest on Monday morning had forced about 200 people from their homes. The Overstrand Municipality housed 115 victims in the Stanford Community Hall.
On Friday, the hall was still full of people, mostly from Mozambique and Malawi. Among them were women and children. They were packing their bags, waiting for buses to take them back to their countries of origin.
Domingos Cossa, an immigrant from Mozambique, said he came to South Africa looking for work.
“This is not a good thing. I feel heartbroken,” said Domingos Cossa, from Mozambique. Cossa said he came to South Africa in November to find work. He did brick and plaster work.
Laundry hangs on a tree outside the Stanford Community Hall, where 115 immigrants were housed.
Richard Opperman, a member of the Stanford Community Police Forum, said they were providing a “safe haven” for the displaced immigrants. He thanked the municipality and Gift of the Givers for their assistance.
Municipal manager Dean O’Neill, in a statement on Friday, said, “The municipality continues to receive enquiries, particularly from homeowners and employers, regarding safe accommodation options for foreign workers who may feel unsafe returning to their homes.”
Tensions remain high in the area.
On Friday morning, about 100 people marched from Zwelihle Sports Centre to the municipality’s office in Hermanus, demanding that immigrants leave the area. People held placards that read “enough is enough” and “go home”.
In Hermanus, about 100 people protested against immigrants.
