Officials say the number of displaced Malawian nationals is rising rapidly in South Africa’s (SA) KwaZulu-Natal Province capital, Pietermaritzburg.
This follows the murder of a 29-year-old Malawian national, who was allegedly attacked and killed by a mob at the Jika Joe Informal Settlement on Friday.
It is alleged the violence has forced hundreds of foreign nationals to flee their homes and seek refuge in churches and mosques.
Authorities say they have increased police deployments in the area, while Malawian officials are urging the SA government and the Department of Home Affairs to establish an additional temporary facility in Pietermaritzburg to accelerate the voluntary repatriation process.
Currently, there are two temporary facilities in the province, both located in Durban.
Malawian officials argue that a facility in Pietermaritzburg would help ease pressure on existing shelters and speed up the processing of those wishing to return home voluntarily.
–SABC–
