The government is closing a costly rescue operation that brought tens of thousands of Malawians home from South Africa after violence against foreign nationals left many fearing for their safety.
The voluntary repatriation programme ends today after facilitating the return of 56,723 Malawians since it was launched in June following rising anti-immigrant tensions in parts of South Africa.
Speaking to Malawi24, Lucy Bandazi, Public Relations Officer for the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA), said the final buses will depart from the Malawi Consulate in Johannesburg and the Malawi High Commission in Pretoria at noon today.
Bandazi said the Mwanza Stadium reception centre will be decommissioned after the final group of returnees has been processed.
“Following this, Mwanza Stadium will be decommissioned,” she said.
From today, Malawians wishing to return home will have to make their own travel arrangements.
However, Bandazi said Malawian government officials in South Africa would continue providing routine consular assistance, including the issuance of emergency travel documents.
“To facilitate the smooth voluntary return of Malawians, the government has waived fees for emergency travel documents for Malawians returning home. These documents are free of charge for a reasonable transitional period,” she said.
Bandazi did not disclose the amount spent on the exercise, but reports indicate that the government spent more than K12 billion on the programme.
Social commentator Lucky Mbewe has commended the government for the programme, saying it enabled vulnerable Malawians to return home safely amid the violence.
However, Mbewe has called on the government to provide a detailed account of how the funds allocated to the programme were spent.
“I would like to ask the government to make a detailed presentation of the money that was used so that taxpayers are not left in the dark,” Mbewe said.
He also urged Malawians who have returned home not to rush back to South Africa, saying the security situation remains uncertain.
“Those Malawians must not think of returning back to South Africa because even now there is no peace,” he said.
According to DoDMA, the 56,723 returnees comprised 38,866 men and 17,857 women, including 3,988 children under the age of five and 694 pregnant women.
The department also recorded seven deaths during the repatriation exercise.
The voluntary repatriation programme ends today after facilitating the return of 56,723 Malawians since it was launched in June following rising anti-immigrant tensions in parts of South Africa.
Speaking to Malawi24, Lucy Bandazi, Public Relations Officer for the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA), said the final buses will depart from the Malawi Consulate in Johannesburg and the Malawi High Commission in Pretoria at noon today.
Bandazi said the Mwanza Stadium reception centre will be decommissioned after the final group of returnees has been processed.
“Following this, Mwanza Stadium will be decommissioned,” she said.
From today, Malawians wishing to return home will have to make their own travel arrangements.
However, Bandazi said Malawian government officials in South Africa would continue providing routine consular assistance, including the issuance of emergency travel documents.
“To facilitate the smooth voluntary return of Malawians, the government has waived fees for emergency travel documents for Malawians returning home. These documents are free of charge for a reasonable transitional period,” she said.
Bandazi did not disclose the amount spent on the exercise, but reports indicate that the government spent more than K12 billion on the programme.
Social commentator Lucky Mbewe has commended the government for the programme, saying it enabled vulnerable Malawians to return home safely amid the violence.
However, Mbewe has called on the government to provide a detailed account of how the funds allocated to the programme were spent.
“I would like to ask the government to make a detailed presentation of the money that was used so that taxpayers are not left in the dark,” Mbewe said.
He also urged Malawians who have returned home not to rush back to South Africa, saying the security situation remains uncertain.
“Those Malawians must not think of returning back to South Africa because even now there is no peace,” he said.
According to DoDMA, the 56,723 returnees comprised 38,866 men and 17,857 women, including 3,988 children under the age of five and 694 pregnant women.
The department also recorded seven deaths during the repatriation exercise.
