The Malawian government has announced that about 150 of its citizens repatriated from South Africa amid rising xenophobic tensions are expected to arrive home by road on Monday.
According to authorities in Lilongwe, the group is part of foreign nationals who had sought refuge in temporary camps in Mossel Bay, Western Cape Province, following recent unrest linked to anti-migrant sentiment.
The situation in the region has been marked by reports of intimidation campaigns and violence, including the deaths of two Mozambicans in Mossel Bay, prompting concern across several African countries.
Malawi joins Ghana, Nigeria and Zimbabwe in organising evacuation or repatriation efforts for their citizens following the escalation of xenophobic incidents in South Africa. Anti-migrant groups in the country have also demanded that undocumented foreigners leave, setting a June 30 deadline.
In response to the growing tensions, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, in a national address on Sunday, announced new measures aimed at curbing illegal migration while urging citizens to avoid taking the law into their own hands.
He also reiterated that there is “no space for xenophobia, racism, sexism, Afrophobia or any other forms of intolerance” in South Africa.
Elsewhere, Zimbabwean authorities confirmed that 74 of their citizens returned home on Sunday after being displaced from Mossel Bay.
Ghana has also carried out evacuation efforts, with nearly 300 nationals flown out of Johannesburg last month, followed by an additional group of about 350 who arrived in Accra over the weekend.
In Nigeria, officials have postponed a planned evacuation flight for 270 citizens. The country’s foreign affairs spokesperson said the exercise has been rescheduled to Wednesday due to logistical challenges, while screening and registration of affected nationals continue.
Nigeria has approved five evacuation flights in total, with more than 500 citizens already screened and cleared for return as authorities intensify efforts to respond to the situation in South Africa.
