Around 548 Mozambican nationals are expected to be repatriated from South Africa on Tuesday night, with flights scheduled to depart from OR Tambo International Airport.
Sunday World understands that the group is currently being accommodated in the Free State and Western Cape and will be transported back to Mozambique as part of an urgent repatriation operation.
Last-minute intervention
Sources familiar with the arrangements described the process as a last-minute intervention, saying officials involved were only informed of the plans on Tuesday afternoon.
The repatriation follows recent unrest targeting illegal foreign nationals in parts of South Africa. Many of those being returned were moved to temporary places of safety after violence erupted in communities where anti-illegal immigration protests have intensified.
The Mozambican government this week confirmed that its citizens had died during the unrest, making them the first fatalities purportedly linked to the recent wave of anti-immigration protests in South Africa.
SA Police Service Spokesperson Athelenda Mathe told Sunday World that there were two fatalities.
Mossel Bay violence
According to authorities in Maputo, about 800 Mozambican nationals were affected by violence that broke out in Mossel Bay last week.
Mozambique said five of its citizens were killed during attacks linked to the unrest, while two others died in a road accident while travelling back to their home country.
The government also reported that roughly 300 Mozambicans had already returned home voluntarily over the weekend.
It remains unclear whether additional repatriation flights will be arranged in the coming days.
Western Cape police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa moved to clarify events following violent unrest in KwaNonqaba, Mossel Bay, that left several people displaced and at least three dead.
Shacks set alight in Asla Park
Potelwa said Public Order Police units from George, supported by local officers, responded on Friday, May 29, to sporadic outbreaks of violence in the Asla Park informal settlement. During the unrest, approximately 55 shacks were allegedly set alight by a group of individuals.
Emergency teams, including fire services and disaster management, were deployed alongside police and managed to bring the situation under control. The blaze left a number of residents displaced.
Potelwas explained that in the early hours of Saturday, police were called to the area after the body of a 27-year-old man was discovered with multiple injuries. Shortly afterwards, another man, aged 43, who had sustained assault-related injuries, was declared dead on arrival at a local hospital. Police later confirmed that both victims were Mozambican nationals.
Authorities have launched murder investigations into both deaths, although no arrests have yet been made.
Murder in New Rest informal settlement
In a separate incident on Sunday morning, police responded to a call in the New Rest informal settlement, where the body of an 18-year-old South African man was found lying in front of a shack. The victim had suffered stab wounds and was declared dead at the scene. Detectives are currently searching for a known suspect in connection with this killing.
Since the unrest began, police have arrested five suspects. Two individuals charged with public violence have already appeared in court and were released on bail of R1,000 each. Three additional suspects are expected to appear in the Mossel Bay Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday on charges related to the possession of suspected stolen property.
Potelwa reiterated that while the right to protest is protected, it must be exercised within the bounds of the law. Authorities warned that any acts of violence or incitement would be met with decisive action.
She also urged community members and leaders to refrain from spreading unverified information, warning that misinformation contributes to panic and instability.
Law enforcement remains on high alert in the area, with ongoing deployments aimed at maintaining order. Police confirmed that no further incidents have been reported since Monday.
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- Approximately 548 Mozambican nationals are set to be repatriated from South Africa following recent anti-immigration unrest, with flights departing from OR Tambo International Airport on Tuesday night.
- The repatriation is a last-minute operation involving Mozambicans temporarily housed in Free State and Western Cape after violence erupted, resulting in at least five Mozambican deaths linked to the unrest.
- Violent incidents in Mossel Bay, including arson and fatal assaults on Mozambican nationals, have led to police murder investigations and heightened security measures.
- Authorities have arrested five suspects related to the unrest, with some charged for public violence and possession of suspected stolen property; courts proceedings are ongoing.
- Police urge the community to exercise protest rights legally and warn against spreading misinformation, emphasizing ongoing efforts to maintain order and prevent further violence.
