<\/p>\n
The operation, which saw the first two buses depart from the Western Cape on June 6, 2026, is being coordinated through a multi-agency task team deployed to SA under the Malawi High Commission.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Malawi Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Charles Nkhalamba said the decision followed distress calls from citizens in SA, particularly those who contacted Malawi\u2019s High Commission in Pretoria and consulate in Johannesburg. Nkhalamba said the government had also engaged SA authorities through diplomatic channels, including discussions between the two countries\u2019 foreign ministers.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Nkhalamba said the engagements focused on gaining a clearer understanding of the situation on the ground and ensuring that Malawian nationals in SA are protected. Nkhalamba said Malawi had urged South Africa to address reported attacks against foreign nationals and to strengthen security measures.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Nkhalamba said discussions between the two governments were conducted within the framework of longstanding bilateral relations, with Malawi expressing concern over the safety of its citizens while acknowledging the need for broader solutions to migration challenges affecting both countries.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Nkhalamba confirmed that more than 600 Malawian nationals had approached authorities requesting assistance, with demand for repatriation continuing to grow. Nkhalamba said this increase has been influenced by uncertainty and circulating reports, including claims about deadlines for foreign nationals to leave SA.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Nkhalamba said Malawian authorities are working through diaspora networks in SA to identify those most in need of urgent assistance. Nkhalamba said community leaders and diplomatic missions are helping to coordinate communication, assess individual circumstances and prioritise repatriation efforts.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The process is expected to continue in phases, with authorities distinguishing between those requiring immediate support and those who may return at a later stage. Nkhalamba said the government will continue monitoring the situation and engaging with affected citizens as well as SA counterparts.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The repatriation effort underscores growing regional concern about migration-related tensions, with Malawi emphasising the need for dialogue, cooperation and practical measures to ensure the safety of nationals while addressing underlying challenges on both sides.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
–ChannelAfrica–<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":36531,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"news-type":[26],"class_list":["post-36530","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","news-type-general_news","entry"],"acf":{"short_description":"The Malawian government has begun repatriating its nationals from South Africa (SA), with 150 citizens returned as part of a voluntary programme launched in response to growing concern over reported xenophobic attacks targeting foreign nationals.","published_date":"","news_description":"The Malawian government has begun repatriating its nationals from South Africa (SA), with 150 citizens returned as part of a voluntary programme launched in response to growing concern over reported xenophobic attacks targeting foreign nationals.","form_embed":"","author":"","image_caption":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/36530","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/36530\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36532,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/36530\/revisions\/36532"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36531"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36530"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"news-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-type?post=36530"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}