Malawians to continue suffering at Lindela: Govt shifts repatriation responsibility to SA

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francis-kasaila

Thousands of Malawians who are detained in South Africa at Lindela camp may continue suffering as Malawi has shifted the repatriation responsibility to the government of South Africa.

Information Malawi24 has gathered indicates that the Malawi government has no funds to repatriate over 1000 Malawians detained in the South African camp.

Sources within the ministry of foreign affairs have revealed that the issue of repatriating Malawians from Lindela does not exist in government plans.

francis-kasaila
Kasaila: We do not have enough funds.

“The issue is complicated and nobody within is aware of the day government will respond positively to the matter. However I’m sure there will be no immediate assistance from government on this, so our fellow Malawians will continue suffering in the foreign land,” the source said.

This revelation comes amid reports that people who are detained at Lindela are being subjected to various forms of abuses including beatings.

In an interview, minister of foreign affairs Francis Kasaila conceded that government has no funds to repatriate Malawians from South Africa.

According to Kasaila, it is not the responsibility of the Malawi government to repatriate Malawians from Lindela but rather it is the responsibility of the host nation, the South African government.

“Internationally, the host country must be responsible for that and not us. Are we the one deporting foreigners? I think our colleagues in South Africa must follow the right procedure here,” said Kasaila.

Meanwhile, Malawians have to wait longer in the Lindela repatriation camp as the two governments continue to shift the responsibility to each other.