Durban — KwaZulu‑Natal Premier Thami Ntuli has called on Home Affairs officials to act quickly to process people camped outside the Che Guevara (Moore Road) Refugee Reception Centre in Durban, saying prompt attention is needed to ease tensions and improve relations between migrants and local communities.
Refugee camp at Moore Road: urgent processing sought
Scores of people from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Uganda, Mozambique and Tanzania have been gathering outside the Moore Road centre, many of them saying they face threats from local residents. The group includes asylum seekers and refugees who say they are waiting for documentation and assistance.
"Helping those willing to reintegrate would go a long way toward building social cohesion and improving relations between local residents and immigrant communities," Ntuli said.
Ntuli’s intervention follows concerns about safety and the strain on municipal services when large groups remain outside reception facilities for extended periods. Provincial leaders and civil society groups have frequently urged national departments to improve turnaround times at refugee reception centres to reduce informal encampments and associated tensions.
Community leaders and NGOs in Durban told provincial offices that delays at Home Affairs increase the risk of exploitation, impede access to basic services and heighten friction with low‑income host communities already under pressure from unemployment and service backlogs.
Kokstad reward for information in toddler’s disappearance
In southern KwaZulu‑Natal, police in Kokstad have offered a R50,000 reward for information that could lead to the recovery of three‑year‑old Banele Mshubi, whose remains were last seen in December 2025 in the Marikana area.
The child was only reported missing to police on 4 January 2026. Investigations prompted the arrest of his 27‑year‑old mother on a charge of failing to report a missing child. She allegedly told police that her 43‑year‑old boyfriend assaulted the child over a missing USB drive and that she believed the boyfriend had assaulted the child to death; she said she was unsure where he had buried the body.
The boyfriend was arrested and charged with murder and has been remanded in custody. He is also linked to a separate murder case in Harding. The mother appeared in the Kokstad Magistrate’s Court and was released on bail.
The reward is intended to encourage anyone with credible information about the child’s whereabouts or the location of his remains to come forward to police. Investigators have urged community members to share information confidentially with Kokstad SAPS.
Water promise for Madlangeni
In northern KwaZulu‑Natal, residents of Madlangeni near Newcastle have been told they can expect a more reliable water supply after the district secured permission to draw from the Zaaihoek Dam. The announcement was made at a sod‑turning ceremony for an R8‑million sewage treatment plant in eMadlangeni, attended by Amajuba District Mayor Thembelihle Mthembu.
Communities around Zaaihoek have long complained of intermittent water and protracted fights over access. The new licence to draw from the dam, together with the planned sewage works, is aimed at stabilising supply and improving sanitation infrastructure.
What this means for residents
- Refugees at Moore Road: Faster processing could reduce the number of people sleeping outside the centre and improve access to services, but progress depends on national Home Affairs capacity and provincial collaboration.
- Kokstad investigation: The R50,000 reward is a targeted police appeal; anyone with information is asked to contact Kokstad SAPS. The investigation remains active and court processes are ongoing.
- Madlangeni water: Licence approval and local infrastructure investment should address chronic shortages, but residents can expect staged implementation and continued municipal engagement.
| Location | Issue | Key figure |
|---|---|---|
| Durban (Moore Road) | Refugees/refugee processing | — |
| Kokstad (Marikana area) | Missing toddler; reward for information | R50,000 |
| Madlangeni (eMadlangeni) | Water access from Zaaihoek Dam; sewage plant | R8 million (sewage plant) |
These developments highlight competing demands facing provincial and municipal authorities: the need to respond promptly to humanitarian situations, to pursue criminal investigations and to sustain long‑term infrastructure investment. For people directly affected, the speed of official responses will determine whether tensions ease or escalate in the coming weeks.
Residents with information for Kokstad police or those directly affected by refugee processing delays are advised to contact their local SAPS station or the provincial office of the Department of Home Affairs for guidance on documentation and support services.
