Malawi activist condemn attacks on immigrants in South Africa

The chairperson of Human Rights Consultative Committee (HRCC) and Black Economic Empowerment Movement (Mablem) Robert Mkwezalamba has joined other stakeholders calling for an end to attacks against foreign immigrants in South Africa as the rainbow nation leaders rallied to halt xenophobic violence.

No Malawian has died while two sustained injuries and 300 were displaced in suspected xenophobic attacks in South Africa, according to a statement made available to Nyasa Times by Minister of Information and Communications Technology Henry Mussa.

At a news conference in Lilongwe, Mkwezalamba asked South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa to condemn the attacks in strongest terms.

“Apart from condemning the attack, Ramaphosa should also apologise for the lives lost during the attack,” said Mkwezalamba.

Some South Africans, especially in the port city of Durban, are reportedly perpetrating attacks against foreign nationals amid concerns that they were taking up jobs that would have been done by South Africans. During similar attacks in 2015, seven people died and dozens were injured.

Mkwezalamba said Zimbabweans, Zambians, Mozambicans, Malawians, Namibians and Tanzanians are cousins and children of Southern African.

The CSOs have since recommended that SADC Heads of Government meeting should convene an emergency session to address the latest development.

The CSOs have further recommended that South African Government should finance all Malawians who are interested in returning to Malawi and may have lost their identity for a smooth repatriation.

In a statement Mussa said Malawi is consulting on voluntary repatriation of 105 Malawians to be sponsored by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

Said Mussa: “Government is doing everything that is possible to secure the safety and welfare of all our citizens.”

The CSOs have further asked Malawi  to roll out a programme to document all its citizens in South Africa and beyond for purposes of providing them with protection when in problems.

Meanwhile, South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Lindiwe Sisulu on Monday called for a meeting with representatives from other countries to resolve the recent attacks against foreign nationals living in that country.

The first group of 105 Malawians displaced in South Africa is set to depart today under the voluntary repatriation process.