Malawi hires 2 buses to repatriate citizens fleeing xenophobia in SA: K24m for operations
Government says it has hired two buses to ferry 76 Malawians who are fleeing the wave of xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
In an interview monitored on public broadcaster, Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), Dodma Principal Secretary Wilson Mollen said in these repatriation operations, his Department is working closely with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ministry of Health, Immigration Department and other concerned stakeholders.
“We have contracted Intercape to ferry those Malawians back home and they are starting off [Tuesday, September 17] and should be here by Thursday, ” said Mollen.
He disclosed the initial budget for the repatriation exercise is K24 million cartering for transport and victims’ food whilst in transit, among others.
“The initial budget is around K24 million and carters transport and food whilst in transit and also the food when they arrive here and transport to their respect homes,” he explained.
Moleni said upon arrival, the repatriated people will be provided with temporary shelter at Njamba Freedom Park in the commercial city of Blantyre where screening be will done before being dispatched to their respective homes across the country.
“Prior to their repatriation, the displaced Malawians were provided with basic and moral support by the Malawi government through the Malawi High Commission in the Republic of South Africa, International Organisation for Migration and Gift of Givers,” said Moleni.
He said DoDMA is collaborating with other ministries and government departments to ensure that these displaced Malawians are supported all the way to their various destinations in Malawi.
South Africa has become a magnet for migrants from other parts of Africa including impoverished Malawi as it has one of the continent’s biggest and most developed economies.
But there is also high unemployment in the country and some people feel foreigners are taking their jobs.
Zopusa
I am based in South Africa (and thank God I have not been affected). However, I have just checked the price of a single ticket from JHB to BT cost between R1400 and R1500; when I multiply that by the number of people that have been identified for repatriation (76) I gate the total cost as R114 000 (K5.7m)…where is the K24m coming from? Even if we factor in food at R500 per head (K1.9m) it can never come to that amount! Koma pa Malawi corruption.
Just ask for the budget.
Thanks Malawi