By Wezzie Gausi & Blessings Makuwira:
The Government of Malawi has started repatriating Malawi nationals who sought refuge in temporary camps in South Africa, with the first two buses carrying 150 people departing from Western Cape Province on Saturday.
According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the 150 Malawians are among a larger group of foreign nationals who were displaced and accommodated in temporary camps in Mossel Bay, Western Cape Province.
The ministry said the evacuation and voluntary repatriation exercise was coordinated by a multidisciplinary Malawi Task Team deployed to South Africa under the coordination of the Malawi High Commission.
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The returnees are travelling by road through Zimbabwe and Mozambique and are expected to enter Malawi through Mwanza Border Post today.
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After arrival, the group will proceed to Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre, where they will undergo processing before travelling to their respective home areas.
Secretary for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Mwayiwawo Polepole said the government remained committed to supporting all affected citizens throughout the repatriation process.
“The ministry reaffirms its commitment to ensuring safety and wellbeing of all affected Malawians and readiness to provide the necessary transit and consular support in coordination with all relevant government ministries, agencies and departments,” Polepole says in the statement.
The repatriation exercise comes amid concerns over the safety and welfare of some foreign nationals living in parts of South Africa, with the Malawi authorities indicating that more affected citizens could be assisted to return home under the ongoing voluntary repatriation programme.
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Some Ghanaians are also leaving South Africa.
