Nearly 7,000 Malawians have now been brought back home from South Africa as the government steps up efforts to rescue citizens fleeing a wave of xenophobic attacks.
The government says 6,936 Malawians have been repatriated using 93 buses since the evacuation exercise began, with thousands more still expected to return.
Among those already rescued are 850 children under the age of five and 408 children under the age of 15, underlining the growing humanitarian toll of the crisis.
In a statement released on Saturday night, the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) said another 5,000 Malawians are expected to arrive this weekend as the evacuation continues.
Director of Preparedness and Response Charles Matabwa said the government remains committed to bringing every Malawian in danger back home safely.
“We are committed to rescuing all Malawians who are in danger in South Africa,” Matabwa said.
DoDMA previously announced that at least 15,000 Malawians had registered for the voluntary repatriation programme, with the figure expected to rise as attacks against foreign nationals continue.
The government says it will require K24 billion to complete the repatriation exercise.
Meanwhile, South Africa is bracing for a planned nationwide shutdown protest, raising fears that the security situation could deteriorate further for foreign nationals still in the country
