The first six busloads of Malawians fleeing xenophobic attacks in South Africa arrived this week in their homeland’s commercial capital, Blantyre.
The nearly 400 riders were just the first wave in a flood of returnees escaping violence to the south. Officials say eight more buses are expected in coming days.
Malawi Information Minister Kondwani Nankhumwa said many Malawians fled with literally nothing on their backs to enter safe camps in Durban and Johannesburg, following recent attacks that killed at least two Malawians and displaced 3,200.
The government has set aside about $450,000 for the repatriation, Nankhumwa said, noting more funding may be needed. "Day by day, we discover that there are more Malawians” being displaced, he said.
“For example, we started with 90 people, then 120 and then 360…. Now we are talking about 3,200. So, this is likely necessitating the rise of economic costs.”
Several organizations in Malawi have condemned South Africa’s government for not taking swift action to end the attacks, which started in early April.
Rights groups present petition On Tuesday, human rights groups in Malawi led protests in the capital of Lilongwe and presented a petition to the South African High Commissioner to Malawi, in which they gave the government 24 hours to end the attacks on foreigners.
Xenophobic attacks first had erupted in 2008. Billy Mayaya, a human rights activist who led the protests, said he fears this latest outbreak will spoil the long relationship between Malawi and South Africa.
"Malawians started migrating to South Africa in the 1800s, so this is a long relationship which has deep roots," he said. "We don’t want these incidents to undermine that long-time relationship that we have had with South Africa."
South Africa’s high commissioner to Malawi, Cassandra Mokoena, greeted the protesters, thanking the civic organizations that presented the petition and promising that it would “be forwarded to Pretoria as soon as possible.”
Boycott announced The Consumers Association of Malawi has also announced that it will hold what it calls “Black Friday” vigils, during which Malawians boycott South African shops, goods and services to protest the xenophobic attacks.
John Kapito, the group’s executive director, said South African shops should remain closed during these days “to avoid unnecessary incidents.”
South Africa’s chronic inequality and high unemployment levels mean there aren’t enough jobs to go around. Poor South Africans have directed their frustration over these issues on immigrants.
The attacks started after a reported statement by Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini that foreigners should “pack their bags” and leave. The king said his words were poorly translated and taken out of context. He has since appealed to his people, who comprise South Africa’s largest ethnic group, for an end to the unrest.
South Africa’s government has also condemned the violence and sent the military to assist police in hot spots in Durban and Johannesburg.
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