Another African nation announces evacuation plans as anti-migrant violence grips South Africa

The Malawian government has announced plans to begin a voluntary repatriation exercise for its citizens living in South Africa following reports of vigilante demonstrations and attacks targeting African migrants in parts of the country.

• The Malawian government has announced a voluntary repatriation program for its citizens in South Africa following vigilante attacks on African migrants.
• Malawi's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is coordinating with South African authorities and preparing to provide consular and logistical support for those wishing to return home.
• The program is strictly voluntary and available only to Malawian nationals who formally request government assistance.
• Other African countries like Ghana and Mozambique have also begun repatriating citizens due to renewed xenophobic violence

In a statement issued on June 2, Malawi's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said it had been closely monitoring the situation through its diplomatic missions in Pretoria and Johannesburg and was engaging South African authorities over the safety of Malawian nationals.

The ministry said the government was making arrangements to provide consular assistance and logistical support to Malawians who wished to return home.

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"The repatriation exercise is intended only for Malawian nationals who have voluntarily indicated their willingness to return home and require logistical support from the Government."

"Accordingly, the public will be formally informed of the final logistics of the repatriation exercise once all preparations have been completed and in accordance with requisite arrangements that ensure the safety and wellbeing of the nationals." the statement noted.

Officials stressed that the repatriation program would be voluntary and limited to citizens who had formally requested government assistance.

The move highlights growing concern among African governments as South Africa once again faces accusations of xenophobic violence, a recurring challenge that has periodically strained relations with neighboring countries and migrant-sending nations across the continent.

More African nations move to bring citizens home

Malawi's decision comes as a growing number of African governments step up efforts to protect citizens living in South Africa amid renewed concerns over attacks on foreign nationals.

Leading that response is Ghana, which has already begun repatriating citizens from South Africa following reports of anti-migrant violence.

The Ghanaian government last week facilitated the return of an initial batch of about 300 nationals from Johannesburg to Accra under a voluntary evacuation programme. Authorities have indicated that hundreds more citizens have registered for assistance, with additional departures expected in the coming weeks.

Ghana's swift response has become one of the most visible on the continent, drawing attention to the growing unease among African governments over the safety of their citizens in South Africa.

The country was among those most vocal during previous waves of xenophobic violence and has maintained close contact with its diaspora communities as tensions resurfaced.

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Apart from Ghana, Mozambique has also initiated efforts to bring its citizens home following the latest wave of anti-migrant violence in South Africa.

According to Mozambican authorities, at least seven of its citizens have died during the unrest, including five killed in xenophobic attacks and two others who died in a road accident while travelling back to Mozambique.

The violence prompted about 300 Mozambicans to return home over the weekend, while more than 500 others were moved to a safe location in South Africa's Western Cape province pending their repatriation.

Authorities say the process of returning the remaining citizens is already underway, highlighting growing concern among neighboring states over the safety of their nationals in Africa's most industrialized economy.

Malawi's newly announced voluntary repatriation programme places it among the latest countries taking concrete steps to help citizens who wish to return home amid the uncertainty.