The repatriation of Malawians from xenophobic attacks in South Africa needs all hands on deck, say Stanley Onjezani Kenani and Phaskani Msiska, some of the individuals collaborating to evacuate fellow citizens.
In separate interviews on Wednesday after the first bus carrying 86 Malawians arrived at Wenela Bus Station from Musina, a border town near Beitbridge on the border between South Africa and Zimbabwe, the two said government efforts must be complimented to bring the citizens back.
Msiska is leading the Malawi Diaspora Humanitarian Support Initiative (MDHSI), which is sourcing funds from individual and corporate citizens for the endeavour.
According to him, the stuck Malawians need help, even firewood which he said has turned to gold with the cold.
“Let us get all hands on deck so that no Malawian should be stranded simply because they cannot afford the journey back home. Some of them came here this year while others have been here for a long time, with all necessary documentation,” he said.
Speaking on Friday as he monitored the situation at the Malawi Consulate in Sandton, South Africa where over a thousand Malawians are stranded, Msiska said the people are eager to return home with their meagre luggage that include shattered dreams from Egoli.
“Some are voluntarily getting on foreign affairs vans to get to the Lindella Repatriation Camp to be cleared and head back home. We have a lot of pregnant women, one of whom is nine months pregnant. We hope our next bus will be on the road from Musina on Tuesday,” he said, appealing to Malawians, businesses, churches, civil society, partners, and the diaspora to support the effort.
On his part, Kenani who is an auditor based in France and a one-time president of the Malawi Writers Union, said focus should be on getting Malawians back, not grappling with how they ended up in the imbroglio.
“When the ship is sinking, all hands must be on deck. We must do all we can to compliment government efforts. We have many brothers and sisters at Musina. I must acknowledge other Malawians such as Patience Namadingo who is also mobilising resources,” he said.
Kenani said on arrival at Wenela, the returnees were treated to a warm meal by Kips Restaurant, a move he said they also indulged to support local humanitarian efforts during the Cyclone Freddy calamity.
Social media influencer Pemphero Mphande, who is the restaurant’s brand ambassador, said they are glad to come in, being a Malawian company, employing Malawians and with a largely Malawian clientelle.
“Kips has donated 85 meals to 85 people who travelled by bus from South Africa last night as part of the citizen efforts led by Onjezani Kenani. There is no Kips without the support of Malawians, including those in South Africa who send money to their relatives who eat at Kips. We will continue to do more for all our brothers and sisters who are in need of help,” he said.
Department for Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) commissioner Wilson Moleni told reporters on Friday the repatriation exercise has so far taken up a total of K7 billion from both government and partners.
He said: “Around K2 billion has come from our partners and K5 billion from Malawi Government making it a total of K7 billion that has been spent on the exercise to date.”
