Staff Reporter
eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba has come under fire after viral video clips showed him telling a man to “shut up your mouth” during a tense engagement at Sherwood, where thousands of mainly Malawian nationals have gathered while awaiting repatriation or deportation processing.
The clip, which circulated widely on social media, showed Xaba saying: “Hey, I’m talking with the Africans. Shut up your mouth. I’m not talking to you.”
The remarks triggered criticism online and from uMkhonto weSizwe Party MP Visvin Reddy, who said the man Xaba addressed was South African and accused the mayor of using identity politics to avoid accountability.
Xaba’s office has defended him, saying the video clips had been shared without the full context of his visit to Sherwood.
“The Mayor was conducting a scheduled oversight visit to address the prolonged and unlawful occupation of City spaces by foreign nationals,” his office said.
Sherwood has become the centre of Durban’s migration crisis after thousands of Malawian nationals gathered in the area, many seeking to return home amid rising anti-migrant tensions and fears linked to a 30 June “deadline” set by anti-immigration groups for undocumented foreign nationals to leave South Africa.
The government has not endorsed that deadline and has warned against vigilantism.
Authorities have been processing people at the Sherwood site before they can be repatriated or deported. Deputy Home Affairs Minister Njabulo Nzuza said last week that the first 1,140 Malawian nationals processed at the Durban repatriation site were found to be undocumented.
The situation has placed pressure on the city, Home Affairs and law enforcement, with reports of overcrowding, slow processing and a shortage of buses to transport people back to Malawi.
Tensions boiled over this week when police used rubber bullets and stun grenades during clashes near the site after frustration over delays in the repatriation process.
The mayor’s office said Xaba had gone to Sherwood to restate the government’s position that foreign nationals should either reintegrate into communities, where they have legal status, or be processed through the Lindela Repatriation Centre.
“Upon learning of their presence in the area, the Mayor elected to engage directly with them in order to reiterate government’s position that they should either reintegrate into their communities or be processed through the Lindela Repatriation Centre,” the city said.
It said Xaba’s “firm response” came after he was repeatedly interrupted.
“During this engagement, the Mayor was subjected to persistent and deliberate interruptions from certain individuals within the group,” the statement said.
“These disruptions undermined the constructive dialogue that had been initiated and hindered efforts to communicate government’s position effectively.”
“The Mayor’s firm response was necessitated by the flagrant disregard for both the rule of law and the basic decorum expected in any official civic interaction.
“His remarks were directed specifically at those who chose to be disorderly and disrespectful, undermining the very process of finding a peaceful and lawful solution.”
The city also sought to explain how another, smaller group of migrants had become linked to the Sherwood situation.
It said that group had previously camped outside the Department of Home Affairs office on Che Guevara Road after being transported there from the Diakonia Centre on May 21 for verification of their documents.
“Of the 457 individuals who were verified, only three were found to be without valid documentation,” the statement said.
The City said those with legal documents were encouraged to return to their places of residence and reintegrate into their communities. It said the group later moved to Sherwood after Malawian nationals arrived in the area.
The mayor’s office said the group was now demanding that the municipality provide accommodation in Durban.
“By continuing to occupy public spaces unlawfully, they are in contravention of the City’s by-laws,” the statement said.
Xaba’s office said disrespect for the law and acceptable conduct would not be tolerated, whether by South Africans or foreign nationals.
“There is a standard of decorum that we must, as a people, maintain at all times. We must always be careful not to ignite chaos, especially as we are trying to address the current challenge of illegal foreign nationals in the City and the country.”
“The City will be very firm in dealing with acts of civil disobedience, utilising all available law enforcement agencies to ensure compliance with Municipal and national legislation.”
At the same time, the mayor’s office appealed for calm.
It said eThekwini remained a “law-abiding and welcoming Municipality”, but would act against anyone who disrupted public order or showed contempt for South Africa’s institutions and laws.
Xaba also urged the public to stop sharing clips without context, saying verified updates on the Sherwood situation would be communicated through official City channels.
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