International relations experts have cautioned the Malawi Government against entertaining growing calls to implement a ban on non-essential travel to South Africa, saying any decision should be guided by research, not emotions.
Their reactions follow petitions, including one by Forum for Democracy and Rights Defenders which has asked government to take decisive action to protect Malawian citizens amid escalating xenophobic attacks, targeted killings and violent crime against foreigners in South Africa.
In the petition addressed to Chief Secretary to the Government Justin Saidi, the forum’s chairperson Shaibu Abdul Rahaman Ajassie said the Malawi Government should implement a temporary prohibition of government-facilitated travel, suspend all government labour export programmes, recruitment drives and official delegations to South Africa.
Reads in part the petition: “Through OPC [Office of the President and Cabinet] and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malawi should demand written security guarantees from South Africa within 30 days. If guarantees are not provided, escalate to Southern African Development Community, African Union, and United Nations Human Rights Council.”
But reacting to the calls, Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences international relations lecturer Tamanda Chida said while the calls could be legitimate in the circumstances, in international relations responses are usually gradual rather than immediate and categorical.
She said the government should start with travel advisories, consular alerts and diplomatic engagement with the host country and that the suspension of labour export programmes should be a last resort.
International policy scholar George Chaima, in a separate interview, observed that a targeted pause on travel is tangible in the short-term, saying a blanket ban poses risks, for example, to Malawian students and traders in South Africa.
Saidi yesterday asked for more time before commenting on the matter while OPC director of communications Focus Maganga did not respond to our calls and questionnaire.
Ironically, at a time the government is grappling to bring its ejected citizens, Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services spokesperson Pasqually Zulu said in an interview on Monday that about 1 000 Malawians are still travelling to South Africa every week.
