Malawi and South Africa have jointly repatriated about 15 000 Malawians without documentation and those fleeing anti-immigrant tensions ahead of a June 30 deadline set by vigilante groups.
Malawians are among foreign nationals displaced by anti-immigrant attacks that have intensified in recent weeks following accusations by some South African groups, namely March and March and Operation Dudula, that undocumented immigrants are stealing jobs for locals.
In an interview yesterday, Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma) Commissioner Wilson Moleni said his department has repatriated 6 900 Malawians while South African authorities have facilitated the return of 8 000 through repatriation and deportation.
“We have stepped up efforts to repatriate as many Malawians as possible ahead of the unofficial June 30 deadline,” he said.
South African media reported yesterday that thousands of Malawians remained at the Drive-In temporary site in Durban while hundreds more were camped at the Malawi Consulate in Johannesburg awaiting transport.
Moleni yesterday acknowledged that many Malawians were still gathered in camps in South Africa. However, he said it would be impossible to repatriate all of them within two days.
Speaking at a briefing monitored on Newzroom Afrika yesterday, KwaZulu-Natal Province Premier Thami Ntuli said they are attending to those gathered in Pietermaritzburg and Durban with more than 12 000 undocumented migrants already either deported or repatriated to their native nations.
South Africa Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration data indicate that as of June 26, authorities had processed more than 15 000 Malawians for deportation and repatriation.
Meanwhile, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation George Chaponda yesterday visited the Joyce Chitsulo Stadium reception centre in Mwanza where he urged returnees not to return to South Africa, but instead rebuild their lives in Malawi.
“The returnees can access loans to start businesses and make use of the skills they acquired in South Africa,” he said.
Dodma budgeted K24.6 billion for the repatriation of 15 000 Malawians, with K16.8 billion earmarked for transportation.
The department has since received cash and transport support from individuals and organisations to help the exercise.
Besides the Malawi Government and its South African counterparts, well-wishers such as Prophet Shepherd Bushiri and Gift of the Givers Foundation also sponsored some buses to ferry Malawians. Other private sector firms and individuals who have contributed to the cause include NBS Bank plc, FDH Bank plc and business mogul and philanthropist Thom Mpinganjira.
