300 Malawians displaced in SA
Ministry of Information and Communications Technology says no Malawian has died while two sustained injuries and 300 were displaced in suspected xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
In a statement issued on Monday evening, Minister of Information and Communications Technology Henry Mussa said the Malawi mission in South Africa visited those affected and engaged authorities in the rainbow nation to guarantee their safety.
during the 2015 xenophobic attacks
He said Malawi is also consulting on voluntary repatriation of 105 Malawians to be sponsored by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
Said Mussa: “Government is doing everything that is possible to secure the safety and welfare of all our citizens.”
Some South Africans, especially in the port city of Durban, are reportedly perpetrating attacks against foreign nationals amid concerns that they were taking up jobs that would have been done by South Africans. During similar attacks in 2015, seven people died and dozens were injured.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Lindiwe Sisulu on Monday called for a meeting with representatives from other countries to resolve the recent attacks against foreign nationals living in that country.
The first group of 105 Malawians displaced in South Africa is set to depart today under the voluntary repatriation process.
Many of those being attacked have jobs as shop attendants, house maids, security guards and labourers.
Besides Malawians, nationals of Mozambique, Nigeria, Zimbabwe and other African States have also been targeted, a situation that forced people in Mozambique to retaliate through burning of vehicles bearing South African registration.
