By Khumbo Msambala Salanje
Government has indicated that it will introduce stricter measures to discourage Malawians from travelling to South Africa in search of economic opportunities following the ongoing vigilante attacks targeting foreign nationals in the country.
The development comes as authorities continue repatriating Malawians who have expressed a desire to return home amid growing safety concerns.
Minister of Information and Communications Technology Shadric Namalomba said in an interview on Wednesday that the government’s immediate priority is to bring back affected citizens before implementing long-term measures to address migration challenges.
“The government is concerned about the vigilante attacks on its nationals in the Republic of South Africa. Currently, the government is dealing with the immediate requirement, which is to repatriate its citizens as quickly as possible,” said Namalomba.
The minister said that once the repatriation exercise is concluded, the government will roll out measures aimed at discouraging Malawians from travelling to South Africa in search of greener pastures, mostly those without legal documentation.
Furthermore, he said government will take a firm stance against transport operators found facilitating the movement of undocumented migrants to South Africa.
The announcement comes amid calls from the Forum for Democracy and Rights Defenders (FDRD) for temporary travel restrictions to South Africa.
However, governance and public policy analyst Dr George Chaima cautioned against a blanket ban, arguing that such a move could negatively affect legitimate workers, students and traders who depend on South Africa for their livelihoods.
Chaima suggested that future labour agreements between Malawi and South Africa should include clear commitments to protect Malawians and prosecute perpetrators of xenophobic attacks.
He has also called for Malawi to diversify labour export destinations beyond South Africa and establish an emergency repatriation fund to ensure the country can respond swiftly to future crises affecting its citizens abroad.
Namalomba said the government will continue providing regular updates on the situation and is discouraging citizens without valid travel documents from travelling to South Africa or any other country.
