By Shadrack Sello. Picture supplied
Hundreds of foreign nationals who fled their homes during anti-immigration protests in Durban have handed over asylum-seeker and refugee documents to the Department of Home Affairs for verification at the Diakonia Centre in the CBD.
The on-site verification is aimed at resolving disputes over legal status and protecting documented migrants from arrest or intimidation. Officials say the process allows genuine refugees, asylum seekers, and special permit holders to prove their right to live and work in South Africa. Foreign nationals often seek shelter at centres like the Diakonia Centre after fleeing intimidation. Home Affairs officials and police are on site to separate those with valid documentation from those without, in an effort to ease community tensions.
The exercise forms part of broader enforcement under Operation New Broom, launched on 21 May 2025 by Home Affairs Minister Dr. Leon Schreiber. The technology-driven initiative targets the arrest, conviction, and deportation of undocumented immigrants occupying public spaces. It uses biometric checks to verify immigration status, eliminate fraudulent documents, and enforce the Immigration Act.
Picture supplied
Alongside the camp processing, joint operations between the Durban Metro Police and Home Affairs are underway across eThekwini Municipality. More than 100 suspected undocumented immigrants have been processed, and several shop owners have been arrested for employing undocumented workers. Officials began vetting over 4,000 documents at the Diakonia Centre on Tuesday.
Authorities say the process will take about another week to complete. Meanwhile, joint police operations have continued to arrest undocumented individuals and employers found to be in violation of the law.
